Dead Poets Society Page #2

NOLAN:

Excellence, Mr. Perry.

NEIL (rote)

Excellence is the result of hard work.

Excellence is the key to all success, in

school and everywhere.

Neil sits. He doesn't look at his father nor does his father

look at him.

NOLAN:

Gentlemen, at Welton you will work

harder than you have ever worked in your

lives, and your reward will be the

success that all of us expect of you. I

would now like to call to the podium

Welton's oldest living graduate- Mr.

Alexander Carmichael, Jr., Class of 1866.

An octogenarian on stage shuns help from those beside him and

makes his way slowly--excruciatingly slowly--to the podium As

the audience rises to another standing ovation

DISSOLVE TO:

4 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY - MAIN LAWN - DAY 4

Welton Academy is a cluster of traditional weathered stone

buildings. The time is 1959 but at Welton this is irrelevant.

This school with its traditions is completely isolated from

the politics or trends of the outside world.

The students stand with their parents under a giant tent.

Finger food, coffee, tea and punch are laid cut on white

clothed tables.

Charlie's mother stands dotingly fixing Charlie's hair. Then

she kisses him.

Knox's father has his hand affectionately around his son.

Mr. Perry stands adjusting the achievement pins on Neil's

jacket.

Todd Anderson's parents stand chatting with another couple,

paying no attention to Todd who looks very much alone.

Mr.Nolan walks by and looks at Todd's name tag.

NOLAN:

Ah, Mr. Anderson. You have some big

shoes to fill, young man. Your brother

was one of our best.

TODD:

(faint, almost inaudible)

Thank you.

Neil's father, Neil in tow, approaches Nolan and interrupts.

MR. PERRY

(somewhat disturbed)

Gale. what's this I hear about a new

junior English teacher?

NOLAN:

Mr. Gladden took the Headmaster's post

at Malford, so we've hired John Keating.

MR. PERRY

(suspicious)

A former student, I hear?

NOLAN:

A star student, Mr. Perry. And he's

spent the last ten years teaching at the

McMillan School in Edinburgh.

MR. PERRY

(acting impressed)

Oh. McMillan.

Nolan looks around. He finds, then indicates:

ACROSS THE LAWN a black-robed teacher stands with his back to

us, staring at the beautiful Welton LAKE. As if he sensed he

was being watched, he turns and faces us. This is JOHN

KEATING, late 30s, sparkling eyes.

Nolan puts his arm on Mr. Perry's shoulder and leads him off.

NOLAN:

Come meet him. You'll like him.

We watch Nolan escort Mr. Perry across the lawn and introduce

him to Mr. Keating who walks up to greet them. Todd stands

alone, looking around. Neil Perry, now left alone, does the

same. Both watch the other students saying good-byes to their

parents.

5 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY PARKING LOT - DAY 5

The 7th graders are saying good-bye to their parents. Chins

quiver. Young eyes hold back tears. Some boys sob. For most

of these young boys this is the first time in their lives that

they will be away from their parents and their homes, and it

is a devastating experience.

LONG SHOT, WELTON ACADEMY - SAME

Welton Academy sits in a lonely and isolated valley in woods

of Vermont. Though the setting is beautiful, its isolation

only highlights the loneliness that most of the 7th graders

feel at this moment.

6 OMIT 6

7 INT. THE WELTON ACADEMY OAK PANELED HONOR ROOM - DAY 7

The 50 or so members of the junior class sit in chairs or

stand around the room. The students that were featured

earlier are here: Todd Anderson, Neil Perry, Knox Overstress,

Charlie Dalton, Richard Cameron. All except Todd wear Welton

blazers. Todd sticks out and he knows it.

A staircase against a wall leads to a 2nd-floor door. That

door opens and down the stairs file five boys. An old teacher

(DR. HAGER) comes to the door and calls out five names.

HAGER:

Overstreet, Perry, Dalton, Anderson,

Cameron.

These boys file up the staircase. As they do, a seated boy

(PITTS) leans to the boy next to him (STEVEN MEEKS). Meeks

has sweet egghead looks and very short hair. He wears a

pocket watch and chain.

PITTS:

Who's the new boy?

MEEKS:

(shrugs)

Anderson.

Old Hager sees this conversation.

HAGER:

Misters Pitts and Meeks. Demerits.

Pitts and Meeks look down. Pitts glances at Necks and rolls

his eyes.

HAGER (CONT'D)

That's another demerit, Mr. Pitts.

Pitts' smile vanishes. Hager closes the door.

8 INT THE HEADMASTER'S OFFICE - SAME 8

The five boys take seats in a row of chairs facing Mr. Nolan.

Nolan sits behind his desk, a HUNTING DOG on the floor beside

him.

NOLAN:

Welcome. back, Mr. Dalton. How's your

father?

CHARLIE:

Doing fine, sir.

NOLAN:

Your family move into that new house,

Mr. Overstreet?

KNOX:

Yes sir, about a month ago.

NOLAN:

Wonderful. I hear It's beautiful. (he

gives the dog a snack)

Mr. Anderson, since. you're new here,

let me explain that at Welton, I assign

extracurricular activities on the basis

of merit and desire. These activities

are taken every bit as seriously as your

class work... right, boys?

CHARLIE, CAMERON, KNOX

Yes sir!

NOLAN:

Failure to attend required meetings will

result in demerits. Mr. Dalton the

school paper, the Service Club, soccer,

rowing. Mr. Overstress Welton Society

Candidates, the school paper, soccer,

Sons of Alumni Club. Mr. Perry Welton

Society Candidates, Chemistry Club,

Mathematics Club, school annual, soccer.

Mr. Cameron Welton Society Candidates,

Debate Club, rowing, Service Club,

forensics, Honor Council. Mr. Anderson

based on your record at Balincrest,

soccer, Service Club, school annual.

Anything else I don't know about?

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