The Graduate Page #10

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MRS. ROBINSON

Then give me your word you won't.

BEN:

This is absurd.

MRS. ROBINSON

Promise me, Benjamin.

BEN:

All right, for christ's sake.

I promise I will never take

out Elaine Robinson.

MRS. ROBINSON

Thank you.

(pause)

Benjamin -

BEN:

Let's not talk about it. Let's

not talk at all.

At opposite sides of the room, without looking at each

other, they begin to take off their clothes.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

92INT. BRADDOCK KITCHEN - DAY

Ben sits at the table, eating his breakfast and looking

at the back of a cereal box. Mr. and Mrs. Braddock

are there.

MR. BRADDOCK

Elaine's back from school. I

think it might be a nice gesture

if you asked her out.

Benjamin looks at his father for a moment, then continues

eating and reading.

CUT TO:

93INT. BEN'S ROOM - DAY

Ben is lying on his bed. Mrs. Braddock stands in the

doorway.

MRS. BRADDOCK

Don't you think that she's a

terribly attractive girl?

Because I think she's one of

the prettiest girls I've

ever seen.

Ben gives a small whimper.

CUT TO:

94EXT. BRADDOCK BACKYARD AND POOL AREA - DAY

Ben is lying face down on his raft in the middle of the

Braddock pool. The sun shines down. His diving mask

is on over his eyes. His face is in the water, looking

down at the bottom of the pool. Mr. and Mrs. Braddock,

in their bathing suits, are in the pool, paddling around

Ben. During the entire conversation they continue to

swim around and around the raft, trying to talk and keep

their heads above the surface.

MRS. BRADDOCK

It's pretty embarrassing. I

really don't know what to tell

Mr. Robinson. It's ackward

and strained for me every time

he suggests that you call up

Elaine.

BEN:

Next time he suggests it,

I'll tell him I have no

intention of ever calling

her up in my life.

MR. BRADDOCK

I guess she's not good enough

for you, is that it?

BEN:

Look - Elaine Robinson and I

do not get along.

MR. BRADDOCK

How do you know? You haven't

seen her since high school. I

guess your evenings, whatever

you do with them, are just too

valuable.

BEN:

That has nothing to do with it -

MR. BRADDOCK

I guess I'll just tell Mr. Robinson

that you're just too busy every

evening - doing God knows what -

MRS. BRADDOCK

Don't go on like this. Now if

Benjamin absolutely refuses to

take her out -

BEN:

I do.

MRS. BRADDOCK

- then I'll simply invite all the

Robinsons' over for dinner on

Thursday.

95SHOT - BEN

He slides off the raft and goes underwater.

96SHOT - BEN UNDERWATER

His hair streaming up, his eyes open.

CUT TO:

97INT. SPECIAL SET BRADDOCK DINING ROOM - NIGHT

The dining room is one tenth its normal size. At a

table for two are seated, jammed in against each other,

the three Robinsons and the three Braddocks. Elaine's

back is to us. Ben is at the other end of the table,

facing us. The Robinsons and Braddocks sit along

the sides. Mrs. Robinson is next to Ben, everyone is

eating, looking down at their places. After a few moments

Ben throws his head back ans starts to scream. As he

continues to scream, everyone looks at him except Mrs.

Robinson who continues to eat calmly without looking up.

CUT TO:

98EXT. BRADDOCK BACKYARD AND POOL AREA - DAY

Ben surfaces and pulls himself up on the side of the

pool.

BEN:

I'll go call Elaine now.

Mr. and Mrs. Braddock cling exhausted to the raft and

try to smile at each other.

SOUND:
Ding dong of the Robinson door chimes.

CUT TO:

99EXT. & INT. ROBINSON FRONT DOOR, HALL AND SUNROOM - NIGHT

The door opens. Mr. Robinson stands there with a huge

smile.

MR. ROBINSON

Well, Braddock - it's about

time you got around to this.

Come on in. I'm afraid the

young lady isn't quite ready

yet -

Mr. Robinson turns toward the sunroom. Mrs. Robinson is

sitting there.

BEN:

Hello.

MR. ROBINSON

What would you say to a short one?

Bourbon still your drink?

BEN:

Yes.

Mr. Robinson hands him drink.

MR. ROBINSON

I'll see if she's ready.

Mr. Robinson exits.

100SHOT - BEN AND MRS. ROBINSON

NOTE Following dialogue played simultaneously

BENMR. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Now listen -- this was not (from hall)

my idea. It was my father'sHey -- there she is. Miss

idea.America -- that's who it is.

It's definitely Miss America.

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin -- I thought I madeELAINE'S VOICE

myself perfectly clear aboutDaddy - can you fix this?

this.The clasp is broken I think.

BENMR. ROBINSON'S VOICE

(whispering urgently)I'll do it - I'll do it.

Look, we'll go out to dinner

and have a drink and I'llELAINE'S VOICE

bring her back. Because itIs Ben here?

was either that or a dinner

party for the two families.MR. ROBINSON'S VOICE

And I'm afriad I couldn'tHe's in the living room having

quite handle that, if youa chat with your mother.

don't mind. I have no

intention of ever taking your

precious daughter out again

in her life. So don't get

upset about it.

MRS. ROBINSON

But I am. I'm extremely upset

about it, Benjamin.

Mr. Robinson and ELAINE enter.

ELAINE:

Hello.

BEN:

Hello.

101CLOSEUP - MRS. ROBINSON

MR. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Well - I want you to keep your

wits about you tonight. You never

know what tricks Ben picked up

back there in the East.

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

102EXT. FREEWAY - NIGHT

SHOT - BEN AND ELAINE in Ben's car. From the back. Ben

leans forward slightly, pushing the car recklessly in

and out of the traffic. Ben is wearing dark glasses.

ELAINE:

You're living at home now. Is

that right?

BEN:

Yes.

ELAINE:

Do you know what you're going

to do?

BEN:

No.

ELAINE:

Are you going to graduate school?

BEN:

No.

He leans on the HORN. The car directly ahead of him

does not move to the right. Ben jerks his car over to the

right, swerves around the car ahead, jamming his horn

down, and swerves back into the outside lane, giving the

driver of the other car an angry look as he passes him.

Elaine holds on to the dashboard to keep her balance.

ELAINE:

Do you always drive like this?

BEN:

Yes.

CUT TO:

103INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

A drab, almost deserted room with formally dressed WAITERS.

Ben and Elaine are seated at a table.

BEN:

Do you want some dinner?

ELAINE:

I'd love some.

A waiter moves forward toward them.

BEN:

Bring a menu.

WAITER #2

Dinner for two, sir?

BEN:

No. Just for her.

The waiter moves away.

ELAINE:

Aren't you eating?

BEN:

No.

ELAINE:

Why not?

BEN:

If it's all right with you,

I'm not hungry.

The waiter returns with a menu.

ELAINE:

I've changed my mind. Thank

you.

CUT TO:

104EXT. SUNSET STRIP - NIGHT - SHOTS

Ben and Elaine walking on the strip.

105EXT. STRIP JOINT - NIGHT

Ben pushes through the people crowded in around the

entrance. Without turning around, he waits for Elaine

who has difficulty following him. As she gets to him,

he starts forward again. He starts up the stairs.

Elaine is just behind him.

CUT TO:

106INT. STRIP JOINT - NIGHT

Seedy, ugly, three quarters filled. A tuxedoed HOOD leads

them through the tables to a table directly under the stage

on which a STRIPPER is in the process of removing her

dress. There is one chair facing the stage, the other with

its back to and up against the stage. Ben sits down in

the chair facing the stage. Elaine stands for a moment,

unsure.

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