Dead Poets Society Page #14

CHRIS:

Chet's parents don't know about it, so

please keep it quiet. But you can bring

someone if you like.

61 INT. DORM - SAME 61

KNOX:

I'll be there. The Danburrys. Friday

night. Thank you, Chris.

He hangs up the phone. He is thunderstruck. He lets out a

yelp.

KNOX (CONT'D)

Can you believe it? She was gonna call

me! She invited me to a party with her!

CHARLIE:

At Chet Danburry's house.

KNOX:

Yeah.

CHARLIE:

Well?

KNOX:

So?

CHARLIE:

So you really think she means you're

going with her?

KNOX:

Well hell no, Charlie, but that's not

the point. That's not the point at all!

CHARLIE:

What is the point?

KNOX:

The point is she was thinking about me!

I've only met her once and already she's

thinking about me. Damn it, it's gonna

happen! I feel it. She's going to be

mine!

He exits the phone room, his head in a cloud. The others

look at each other, not sure what to think.

62 EXT. THE HENDLY HALL AUDITOMUM - DAY 62

The buildings at this school are white brick. Neil parks his

bicycle and enters the auditorium.

63 INT. THE AUDITORIUM STAGE - LATER 63

High school actors are on stage rehearsing Shakespeare's "A

Midsummer Night's Dream." Neil stands center stage, playing

Puck. He holds a stick with a bell accoutered jester's head

on one end of it.

NEIL (AS PUCK)

Yet but three? Come one more.

Two of both kinds makes up four.

Here she comes, curst and sad.

Cupid is a knavish lad

Thus to make poor females mad.

Enter Ginny Danburry playing Hermia, crawling on stage,

looking exhausted. As she starts her lines, the DIRECTOR of

the play, a woman in her 40s, interrupts.

DIRECTOR:

Good, Neil. I really get the feeling

your Puck knows he's in charge. Remember

that he takes great delight in what he's

doing.

NEIL:

(broadly, boldly impish)

Cupid is a knavish lad Thus to make poor

females mad!"

DIRECTOR:

Excellent. Continue, Ginny.

As Ginny re-enters and starts her lines-

GINNY (AS HERMIA)

Never so weary, never so in woe,

Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with

briars I can no further crawl, no further

go."

64 EXT. THLE WELTON DORMS - NIGHT 64

Neil rides up on his bike and parks it. As he starts into

the dorm, he spots a figure sitting motionless on a wall.

NEIL:

Todd?

Neil walks over to get a better look. It is Todd, sitting in

the dark without a coat.

NEIL (CONT'D)

What's going on?

Todd doesn't answer.

NEIL (CONT'D)

Todd, what's the matter?

TODD:

It's my birthday.

NEIL:

It is? Happy Birthday. You get

anything?

Todd is motionless. Then he points to a box. Neil looks. In

the box seems to be the monogrammed desk set that we've seen

on Todd's desk.

NEIL (CONT'D)

This is your desk set.

(pause)

I don't get it.

TODD:

They gave me the exact same thing as

last year!

NEIL:

Oh..

TODD:

Oh.

(mocking)

Long pause.

NEIL:

Well, maybe they thought you'd need

another one. Maybe they thought...

TODD:

Maybe they don't think at all unless

it's about my brother! His birthday's

always a big to-do.

(pause:
looks at the desk

set)

The stupid thing is, I didn't even like

the first one.

He puts the desk set down.

NEIL:

Look, Todd, you're obviously under-

estimating the value of this desk set.

TODD:

what?

NEIL:

I mean, this is one special gift! Who

would want a football or a baseball bat

or a car when they could get a desk set

as wonderful as this one!

TODD:

Yeah! And just look at this ruler!

They laugh. A silence falls.

TODD (CONT'D)

(thoughtful)

You know what Dad called me when I was

growing up? "Five ninty-eight." That's

what all the chemicals in the human body

would be worth if you bottled them raw

and sold them. He told me that was all

I'd ever be worth unless I worked every

day to improve myself. "Five ninety-

eight."

Neil shakes his head.

TODD (CONT'D)

When I was little, I thought all parents

automatically loved their kids. That's

what my teachers told me. That's what I

read in the books they gave me. That's

what I believed. Well, my parents might

have loved my brother but they did not

love me.

He takes a deep, anguished breath. Neil is groping for

something to say. Todd walks into the dorm.

65 EXT. A WELTON BRICK COURTYARD - DAY 65

The class pours into the courtyard expectantly. Another

Keating stunt? Keating addresses them.

KEATING:

People, I am delighted with your

progress as reflected in your essays and

poems. However, I know the school policy

is to encourage study groups and I

believe that a dangerous though

inevitable element of conformity has been

seeping into your work. Misters Pitts,

Cameron, Overstreet, and Chapman line up

please over here.

Keating indicates for the four boys to stand near him.

KEATING (CONT'D)

On the count of four, begin walking

together around the courtyard. Nothing

to think about. No grade here. One,

two, three, go.

The boys begin walking. They go down one side of the

courtyard, across the back, up the other side, then across the

front.

KEATING (CONT'D)

That's the way. Please continue.

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