Dead Poets Society Page #8

McALLISTER

A cynic? A realist! Show me the heart

unfettered by foolish dreams and I'll

show you a happy man.

He chews a bite.

McALLISTER (CONT'D)

But I will enjoy listening to your

lectures

Keating grins with amusement

ANOTHER ANGLE - THE DINNING ROOM - SAME

Todd, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, Pitts, and Meeks sit at a table

eating. Neil enters and joins them.

NEIL:

I found his senior annual in the

library.

Neil opens the annual and reads.

NEIL (CONT'D)

Captain of the soccer team, editor of

the annual, Cambridge bound, Man most

likely to do anything, Thigh man, Dead

Poets Society.

Hands grab the old annual away from Neil.

CHARLIE:

Thigh man? Mr. "K" was a hell raiser.

KNOX:

What is the Dead Poets Society?

MEEKS:

Any group pictures in the annual?

NEIL:

Nothing. No mention of it.

CHARLIE:

Nolan.

Mr. Nolan approaches the boys' table. Under the table,

Cameron insistently hands the annual to Todd. Todd looks at

Cameron, then takes it.

NOLAN:

Enjoying your classes, Mr. Perry?

NEIL:

Yes sir. Very much.

NOLAN:

And our Mr. Keating. Finding him

interesting, boys?

CHARLIE:

Yes sir. We were just talking about

that.

NOLAN:

Good. We're very excited about him. He

was a Rhodes Scholar, you know.

Nolan exits. Todd looks at the annual that he hides in his

lap under the table, then continues eating.

29 EXT. THE CAMPUS - LATER 29

Keating walks across the school lawn wearing his sport coat

and a scarf, carrying his books. Pitts, Neil, Cameron, Knox,

Charlie, Meeks and Todd approach him.

NEIL:

Mr. Keating? Sir? Oh Captain My Captain.

(Keating stops)

What was the Dead Poets Society?

KEATING:

Ah, so you boy's have been snooping.

NEIL:

I was just looking in an old annual and...

KEATING:

Nothing wrong with research.

The boys wait for more.

NEIL:

But what was it?

Keating checks around to be sure they are unwatched.

KEATING:

The Dead Poets was a secret

organization. I don't know how the

present administration would look upon it

but I doubt the reaction would be

favorable. Can you keep a secret?

An instant sea of nods.

KEATING:

The Dead Poets Society was dedicating to

sucking the marrow out of life. That

phrase is by Thoreau and was invoked at

every meeting. A small group of us would

meet at a cave and there we would take

turns reading Shelley, Thoreau, Whitman,

our own verse-any number of poets-and, in

the enchantment of the moment, let them

work their magic on us.

KNOX:

You mean it was a bunch of guys sitting

around reading poetry?

KEATING:

(amused)

Both sexes participated, Mr. Overstreet.

And, believe me, we did not simply read,

we let it drip from our tongues like

honey. Women swooned, spirits soared...

Gods were created, gentlemen.

The boys think a minute.

NEIL:

What did the name mean. Did you only

read dead poets.

KEATING:

All poetry was acceptable. The name

simply referred to the fact, that to join

the organization, you had to be dead.

SEVERAL:

What?

KEATING:

Full membership required a lifetime of

apprenticeship. The living were simply

pledges. Alas, even I am still a lowly

initiate.

The boys don't quite know what to say.

KEATING (CONT'D)

The last meeting must have been 25 years

ago. Hasn't been another since.

Keating exits. The boys stand watching. Neil turns to them.

NEIL:

I say we go tonight. Everybody in?

PITTS:

Where is this cave he's talking about?

NEIL:

Beyond the stream. I think I know.

PITTS:

That's miles.

CAMERON:

Sounds boring to me.

CHARLIE:

Don't come.

CAMERON:

You know how many demerits we're

talking?

CHARLIE:

So don't goddam come! Please.

CAMERON:

All I'm saying is we have to be careful.

We can't get caught.

CHARLIE:

(sarcastic)

Well, no sh*t, Sherlock

NEIL:

Who's in?

CHARLIE:

I'm in.

Neil looks at Knox, Pitts, and Weeks.

PITTS:

Well...

CHARLIE:

Oh come on, Pitts...

MEEKS:

His grades are hurting, Charlie.

NEIL:

Then you can help him.

PITTS:

What is this, a midnight study group?

NEIL:

Forget it, Pitts, you're coming. Meeks,

your grades hurting too?

Laughter.

MEEKS:

All right. I'll try anything once.

CHARLIE:

Except sex.

More laughter. Meeks blushes.

CAMERON:

I'm in as long as we're careful.

CHARLIE:

Knox?

KNOX:

I don't know. I don't get it.

CHARLIE:

Come on. It'll help you get Chris.

KNOX:

It will? How do you figure?

CHARLIE:

Women swoon!

KNOX:

But why?

The group walk off. Knox holds, then follows,

KNOX (CONT'D)

Why do they swoon?! Charlie, tell me

why they swoon!

Knox moves off after the others. Todd remains behind. No one

asked Todd and he moves off by himself.

30 INT. THE STUDY HALL - LATE AFTERNOON 30

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