The Graduate Page #15

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CUT TO:

176EXT. ZOO - DAY

Ben and Elaine are walking along in front of one of the

outside animal cages. Ben is walking a step or two behind

Elaine. He is darting glances to the right and left.

BEN:

Is that him over there?

ELAINE:

No.

BEN:

Where did he say he was going

to meet you?

ELAINE:

I thought he said by the monkey

house.

BEN:

Oh.

She stops. Ben stops.

ELAINE:

Benjamin - I would like to know

what you're doing here.

BEN:

Here? In Berkelely?

ELAINE:

Yes.

BEN:

Well, I have this very pleasant

room on Carter Street - and I've

been getting to some classes -

ELAINE:

But you're not enrolled.

BEN:

No. I just sit in. They don't

seem to mind. They've been

very congenial about it.

She looks at him and starts to shake her head.

ELAINE:

Benjamin - you're - I don't

know what to say - you're --

BEN:

Maybe we could get together

some time and talk about it.

ELAINE:

- really incredible -

BEN:

Here he comes.

ELAINE:

What?

BEN:

I've got a real feeling that

this is the fellow.

Elaine looks. A good-looking young man is striding

briskly toward them. It is CARL SMITH.

CARL:

(waving)

Elaine!

BEN:

He certainly is a good walker.

Carl strides up to them. He takes the pipe out of his

mouth and puts it in his pocket. He reaches out and

takes Elaine's hands.

CARL:

Am I late? I'm sorry.

BEN:

We thought you said by the

monkey house.

Carl frowns and looks up over Elaine's shoulder at Ben.

Ben smiles.

ELAINE:

This is Benjamin Braddock.

Carl Smith. Benjamin rode

here with me on the bus.

CARL:

Glad to meet you, Ben.

Ben steps forward and grasps Carl's hand.

BEN:

Great meeting you, Carl.

Carl steps back and puts an arm around Elaine's shoulder.

The three of them look at each other for a moment.

BEN:

Swell seeing you. Have a good

time.

Ben turns and starts walking back the way he came. Carl

and Elaine turn and go in the opposite direction. Ben

stops after a few steps and walks over to one of the

cages. He grips the rail with his hand and looks back

at:

177SHOT - CARL AND ELAINE

Walking away, his arm over her shoulder, his other hand

gesturing with the pipe in it as he talks.

178SHOT - BEN

As he watches them go. His artificial smile disappears.

The agony is such that he has to steady himself with

his hand on the rail. He turns his face away, toward the

cage. There is an animal in it, staring at Ben. They

look at each other. There is a box - an automatic device

with a recorded desciption of the animal - that begins

to deliver its RECORDED MESSAGE.

DISSOLVE TO:

179INT. ROOMING HOUSE - BEN'S ROOM - DAY

Ben is standing by the window, looking out.

180EXT. ROOMING HOUSE - STREET - DAY

SHOT - THROUGH THE WINDOW

Elaine is walking up the street toward the rooming house.

181INT. ROOMING HOUSE - BEN'S ROOM - DAY - SHOT - BEN

He jumps to the other side of the window and peers out

carefully.

182EXT. ROOMING HOUSE - STREET - DAY - SHOT - THROUGH THE

WINDOW:

Elaine turns in and disappears into the rooming house

front door below.

183INT. ROOMING HOUSE - BEN'S ROOM AND HALLWAY - DAY - SHOT

BEN:

He runs to the bed and puts the covers back into place.

He goes to the window sill, picks up an empty beer can,

crosses to the bureau, opens a bureau drawer. He crosses

to the wastepaper basket under the sink, bends down and

takes a newspaper out of it. He crosses to the chair and

sits down. He holds the newspaper in front of him. It

is hopelessly crumpled. He gets up, crosses to the

bureau, opens a drawer and takes out a traveling iron.

He kneels down, puts the newspaper on the floor and tires

to straighten it out with the iron.

There is a KNOCK on the door. He rises, puts the iron

back in the drawer as quietly and quickly as he can,

then back to the chair, sits down and holds the newspaper

on his lap.

BEN:

Come in.

There is another KNOCK. Ben crosses to the door and opens

it. Elaine is standing in the hall.

ELAINE:

I want to ask you a question.

BEN:

Come in.

ELAINE:

No. I want to know why you're

here in Berkeley?

BEN:

Because - I am.

ELAINE:

Is it because I'm here?

BEN:

What do you think?

ELAINE:

I think it is.

Ben nods.

ELAINE:

I said I think it is.

BEN:

All right then! Yes!

ELAINE:

Well, I want you to leave.

BEN:

Elaine - I love you.

ELAINE:

(looking down)

How could you do that, Benjamin?

Ben moves in behind her and puts his hand on her arm.

ELAINE:

Do you just hate everything?

How could you possibly rape

my...

BEN:

What?

ELAINE:

I don't understand -

BEN:

Did you say rape her?

ELAINE:

- how you - how anyone - could

do a thing like that.

BEN:

What did she say?

ELAINE:

(holding his arm)

Let me go.

BEN:

You've got to tell me what she

said.

He touches her hair.

ELAINE:

Why?

BEN:

Because it isn't true.

ELAINE:

I don't feel well.

Ben pushes her down softly onto the bed. He kneels

along side her.

BEN:

Tell me.

Ben sits next to her and puts his hand on her shoulder.

ELAINE:

She said she was having a drink

in the hotel with a friend.

You waited for her in the parking

lot and told her she was too

drunk to drive home and that

you would get her a room for

the night.

BEN:

Then what?

ELAINE:

Then you took her upstairs and

you raped her.

BEN:

Elaine - that is not what happened.

She puts her hands on his shoulder.

ELAINE:

Please let me go.

BEN:

All right - but listen to me.

What happened was there was

this party at my parents. I

drove your mother home - then

we went upstairs to see your

portrait -

Elaine tightens her arms around his neck.

ELAINE:

Don't tell me -

BEN:

- and when we got up in the

room she starts taking her her

clothes off - and -

ELAINE:

Benjamin - this is my mother!

BEN:

- suddenly there she was without

any clothes on - I mean really

naked -

Ben is almost lying on top of her. Elaine screams - a

long, loud scream. Ben looks at her. He leaps off

the bed and runs to the sink. He fills a glass with

water and brings it to Elaine. He starts toward the

door.

SOUND OF FOOTESTEPS on the stairway and in the hall.

Ben goes to the closet, opens the door, takes a jacket

from a hanger and puts it on.

SOUND:
A KNOCK on the door.

MR. McCLEERY'S VOICE

What's going on in there?

Elaine sits up and drinks the water. Ben looks at

her then goes to the door and opens it.

BEN:

Oh - hello, Mr. McCleery.

MR. McCLEERY

Who screamed?

BEN:

It's all right, Mr. McCleery.

MR. McCLEERY

Screaming isn't all right. Not

in my house it isn't.

BEN:

It was just a visitor. But it's

all right now.

Several BOYS are gathering in the hallway trying to see

into the room. Ben edges through the door into the

hallway.

184INT. ROOMING HOUSE HALLWAY - DAY

MR. McCLEERY

What did you do to her?

BEN:

Look - she's all right. She's

upset and she screamed. But

she's okay now.

A BOY:

Shall I get the cops?

BEN:

What?

A BOY:

I'll get the cops.

He starts for the stairs.

BEN:

Hey - wait a minute. Now damn

it - look.

He opens the door a little way. They all try to see in.

BEN:

See - she's just having some

water. Now there's no need

for the cops or anything.

MR. McCLEERY

All right, boys - I think you

can get back to your rooms. I

don't think we'll have any more

of this agitation. Will we,

Braddock?

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