The Graduate Page #14

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LADY RECEPTIONIST NO. 1

May I help you?

BEN:

(too loudly)

Elaine Robinson.

LADY RECEPTIONIST NO. 1

Yes?

BEN:

(clearing his throat)

Elaine Robinson. Does she live

here?

The Receptionist runs her pencil along a list of names

under the glass top of her desk. She finds it.

LADY RECEPTIONIST NO. 1

Three-oh-eight. Shall I call

her for you?

The Receptionist's hand moves to the receiver of a phone on

the desk. Ben looks at her hand for several seconds. He

takes a step backward. Her hand starts to lift the receiver.

Ben moves backward, puts his hand up as though to stop her

and shakes his head, speechlessly.

150SHOT - RECEPTIONIST

Looking at Ben.

151SHOT - BEN

Move with him as he moves past the students toward the

door.

DISSOLVE THROUGH TO:

152EXT. CAMPUS - DUSK

PAN AROUND CAMPUS in a circle, ending on a CLOSEUP OF

BEN, standing in the middle of the deserted campus,

looking around, lost.

DISSOLVE THROUGH TO:

153INT. ROOMING HOUSE HALL AND STAIRS - NIGHT - BEN AND

MR. McCLEERY

From the bottom of the stairway, shooting up. MR.

McCLEERY is the landlord of the rooming house. They

are climbing a flight of stairs, Mr. McCleery first,

then Ben, carrying his suitcase.

MR. McCLEERY

You a student?

BEN:

Not exactly.

Mr. McCleery stops and turns. Ben almost runs into him.

MR. McCLEERY

What's that?

BEN:

I said - not exactly - no.

MR. McCLEERY

What are you then?

BEN:

Well - I'm just sort of traveling

through.

Mr. McCleery takes a couple of steps up, Ben following

and stops again.

MR. McCLEERY

I like to know who's living in

my house. I like to know what

my boys are up to.

BEN:

Ahhh.

Mr. McCleery just looks up at him.

BEN:

I'm not up too much, actually,

I'm just visiting. I mean -

I've always wanted to see

Berkeley.

Mr. McCleery takes a couple more steps and stops again.

MR. McCLEERY

You're not one of those agitators?

BEN:

What?

MR. McCLEERY

One of those outside agitators.

BEN:

Oh - no sir.

MR. McCLEERY

I hate that. I won't stand for

it.

He looks at Ben searchingly, then turns and continues up

the stairs and down the hall.

CUT TO:

154INT. ROOMING HOUSE - BEN'S ROOM - NIGHT

PAN THE ROOM in a circle, seeing a sink in one corner, a

bed, a bureau, a table, a lamp, a chair, a window that

overlooks a Berkeley street - ending in a CLOSEUP OF BEN,

standing in the middle of it, looking lost.

CUT TO:

155EXT. WENDELL HALL - QUADRANGLE - DAWN

DAWN. The campus is empty except for Ben who, dressed

carefully in his black suit, sits on a bench in the

quadrangle outside of Wendell Hall.

156EXT. WENDELL HALL QUADRANGLE - SERIES OF DISSOLVE (OR CUTS)-

DAY:

During which Ben remains static while the quadrangle and

thet area around him fill up with students; walking, talking,

hurrying to class, strolling, sitting, reading, handing

out petitions, etc.

157EXT. CAMPUS BUILDING - DAY - LONG SHOT

Elaine comes out. She walks, carrying her books, in Ben's

direction.

158SHOT - ELAINE

He sees her and stiffens.

159SHOT - ELAINE

Approaching from the distance.

160SHOT - BEN

He stands.

161SHOT ELAINE

As she walks, she is joined by another GIRL with whom she

converses as they walk.

162SHOT - BEN

Watching. He takes a step forward.

163SHOT - ELAINE AND GIRL

As they approach, they are joined by a tall BOY with a

beard.

164SHOT - BEN

He starts toward them, falters, straightens himself.

165SHOT - ELAINE, GIRL, BOY

They are getting quite near. Suddenly they are joined

by THREE AFRICAN EXCHANGE STUDENTS, in tribal robes.

They all greet each other and continue to walk toward us.

166SHOT - BEN

He looks at the massed group moving toward him, horror

taking over his face. He starts forward. As he passes

Elaine and her friends he seems to take a deep breath and

hold it.

She stops and slowly turns to look in his direction. Her

companions also stop. Ben changes his direction and

makes a circle to his left as though he has just changed

his mind. He looks at her. He does not stop walking.

He makes a slow circle around her as he speaks.

BEN:

Elaine. Hey - what a surprise.

(not quite looking

at her)

Say - I thought I remembered that

you were going to school up here

- well - we'll have to get together

sometime - I'll be up here myself

for a little while.

167SHOT - BEN'S POV

Elaine and the others staring at him.

168SHOT - BEN

BEN:

- it certainly has been nice -

I think I'm late - yes, I am -

He turns and walks away from them. They stand still

watching them go. He starts to walk faster and faster.

They watch him as he gets further and further away and

then breaks into a run. He disappears in the distance.

SOUND:
Footsteps running, a door opening and closing,

footsteps running upstairs, a door opening and slamming.

CUT TO:

169INT. ROOMING HOUSE - BEN'S ROOM - DAY

Ben leans with his back against the closed door, breathing

heavily.

DISSOLVE TO:

170EXT. VARIOUS CAMPUS LOCATIONS - DAY - SERIES OF SHOTS

Ben following and watching Elaine.

DISSOLVE TO:

171INT. TELEGRAPH STREET RESTAURANT - DAY

Ben is sitting at a table by the window through which

we can see the street. He is drinking a beer. Other

tables are filled with students having animated discussions.

Ben starts to pour some beer from the bottle into the

glass. He stops as he sees something through the window.

He leans forward.

Elaine comes out of a bookstore across the street. She

crosses the street and moves to a bus stop. He stands,

fumbles in his pocket for money, puts a dollar on the

table and rushes out.

172EXT. RESTAURANT TELEGRAPH STREET - DAY

Ben comes out of the door just as Elaine gets into a bus

and the doors close behind her.

The bus starts off. Ben runs after it. The bus gets to

the next corner and stops for a red light. Ben catches

up with it, runs to the front door and knocks on the

door. The door opens and he climbs in.

173OMITTED

174INT. BUS NO. 1 - DAY - SHOT ELAINE

She is seated next to an OLDER LADY by the window immediately

in front of the rear exit door. She keeps looking out

the window, almost holding her breath as she hears:

BEN'S VOICE

(getting closer as

he moves past people

toward her)

Excuse me - I'm sorry - I

wonder if I could get by -

excuse me -

There is a pause and then, immediately behind her:

BEN'S VOICE

(cheerfully)

Well - how about this for a

coincidence.

175NEW ANGLE

Ben's face is right behind Elaine, between her and the older

lady sitting next to her. Ben is standing on the steps

to the rear exit door. Elaine continues to look out the

window.

BEN:

(leaning in a little)

I was wondering where you were

headed.

Elaine doesn't answer. The lady sitting next to Elaine

takes a look at her, turns around and looks at Ben,

then looks at Elaine again.

ELAINE:

I'm meeting someone.

BEN:

Ah. Where?

She doesn't answer.

BEN:

Where are you meeting this person?

ELAINE:

At the Zoo.

BEN:

The Zoo. They have a pretty good

one here, do they?

ELAINE:

I've never been to it.

BEN:

Oh. Well, I haven't either. I

might just ride out there with you.

Hold on them riding.

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