The Graduate Page #3

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BEN:

Oh my God.

MRS. ROBINSON

Pardon?

BEN:

Oh no, Mrs. Robinson, oh no.

MRS. ROBINSON

What's wrong?

BEN:

Mrs. Robinson, you didn't -

I mean you didn't expect -

MRS. ROBINSON

What?

BEN:

I mean - you didn't really

think that I would do something

like that.

MRS. ROBINSON

Like what?

BEN:

What do you think?

MRS. ROBINSON

Well I don't know.

BEN:

For God's sake, Mrs. Robinson,

here we are, you've got me into

your house. You give me a

drink. You put on music, now

you start opening up your

personal life to me and tell

me your husband won't be home

for hours.

MRS. ROBINSON

So?

BEN:

Mrs. Robinson - you are trying

to seduce me.

There is a pause. She looks at him.

BEN:

(weaker)

Aren't you?

MRS. ROBINSON

Why no. I hadn't thought of it.

I feel rather flattered that

you -

BEN:

Mrs. Robinson, will you forgive

me for what I just said?

MRS. ROBINSON

It's all right.

BEN:

It's not all right, it's the

worst thing I've ever said

to anyone.

MRS. ROBINSON

Sit down.

BEN:

Please forgive me. Because I

like you. I don't think of you

that way. But I'm mixed up.

MRS. ROBINSON

All right. Now finish your drink.

BEN:

Mrs. Robinson, it makes me sick

that I said that to you.

MRS. ROBINSON

We'll forget it right now.

Finish your drink.

BEN:

What is wrong with me?

MRS. ROBINSON

Have you ever seen Elaine's

portrait?

BEN:

Her portrait?

MRS. ROBINSON

Yes.

BEN:

No.

MRS. ROBINSON

We had it done last Christmas.

Would you like to see it?

BEN:

Very much.

We move with Mrs. Robinson and Ben out of the sunroom,

into the hall, up the stairs and along the hall to

the doorway to Elaine's room.

37INT. ELAINE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Ben moves into the room and looks up at the portrait.

BEN:

Elaine certainly is an

attractive girl, isn't she?

In the b.g. Mrs. Robinson watches him.

BEN:

(looking at the

portrait)

I don't remember her as having

brown eyes.

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin?

BEN:

Yes?

MRS. ROBINSON

Will you unzip my dress?

He steps back.

MRS. ROBINSON

I think I'll go to bed.

BEN:

Oh. Well, goodnight.

MRS. ROBINSON

Won't you unzip my dress?

BEN:

I'd rather not, Mrs. Robinson.

MRS. ROBINSON

If you still think I'm trying

to seduce you -

BEN:

No, I don't. But I just feel

a little funny.

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin - you've known me all

your life.

BEN:

I know that. But I'm -

MRS. ROBINSON

Come on.

She turns her back.

MRS. ROBINSON

It's hard for me to reach.

Ben reaches forward and pulls the zipper down.

MRS. ROBINSON

Thank you.

BEN:

Right.

Ben walks toward the door.

MRS. ROBINSON

What are you so scared of?

BEN:

I'm not scared, Mrs. Robinson.

MRS. ROBINSON

Then why do you keep running

away?

BEN:

Because you're going to bed. I

don't think I should be up here.

Mrs. Robinson lets her dress fall to the floor.

MRS. ROBINSON

Haven't you ever seen anybody

in a slip before?

BEN:

Yes, I have -

He looks up at the portrait of Elaine.

BEN:

But I just - Look - what if Mr.

Robinson walked in right now?

MRS. ROBINSON

What if he did?

BEN:

Well, it would look pretty

funny, wouldn't it?

MRS. ROBINSON

Don't you think he trusts us

together?

BEN:

Of course he does. But he

might get the wrong idea.

Anyone might.

MRS. ROBINSON

I don't see why. I'm twice as

old as you are. How could

anyone think -

BEN:

But they would! Don't you see?

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin - I'm not trying to

seduce you. I wish you'd -

BEN:

I know that. But please, Mrs.

Robinson. This is difficult

for me.

MRS. ROBINSON

Why is it?

BEN:

Because I am confused about

things. I can't tell what

I'm imagining. I can't tell

what's real. I can't -

MRS. ROBINSON

Would you like me to seduce you?

BEN:

What?

MRS. ROBINSON

Is that what you're trying to

tell me?

BEN:

I'm going home now. I apologize

for what I said. I hope you can

forget it. But I'm going home

right now.

Benjamin walks out of the door and down the hall. The

CAMERA PUSHES with him to the door. We see the entire

stairway and part of the downstairs hall. Ben gets to

the stairs and starts down.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

BENJAMIN?

BEN:

Yes.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Will you bring up my purse before

you go?

BEN:

I have to go now. I'm sorry.

Mrs. Robinson walks into the hall. Her back is to us.

She is holding her dress in front of her.

MRS. ROBINSON

I really don't want to put this

on again. Won't you bring it

up?

BEN:

Where is it?

MRS. ROBINSON

On that chair in the hall.

She walks out of the shot.

BEN:

Mrs. Robinson?

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

I'm in the bathroom.

BEN:

Well here's the purse.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Could you bring it up?

BEN:

Well I'll hand it to you.

Ben starts back up the stairs.

BEN:

Come to the railing and I'll

hand it up.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Benjamin - I am getting pretty

tired of all this suspicion.

Now if you won't do me a simple

favor I don't know what.

Ben appears as he slowly climbs the stairs.

BEN:

I'm putting it on the top step.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

For God's sake, Benjamin, will

you stop acting that way and

bring me the purse?

Ben gets to the top of the stairs, and starts slowly

down the hall.

BEN:

I'm putting it here by the door.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Will you bring it in to me?

BEN:

I'd rather not.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

All right. Put it in the room

where we were.

BEN:

Right.

38INT. ELAINE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Ben walks quickly into Elaine's room, crosses to the

bed and puts the purse down. As he starts to turn

back, he looks up at Elaine's portrait. There is a

movement reflected in the glass of the portrait. He

turns quickly. Mrs. Robinson, naked, is shutting the

door to the bedroom behind her.

BEN:

Oh God.

She smiles.

BEN:

Let me out.

She turns the lock on the door.

MRS. ROBINSON

Don't be nervous.

BEN:

Get away from that door.

MRS. ROBINSON

I want to say something first.

BEN:

Jesus Christ!

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin - I want you to know

I'm available to you. If you

won't sleep with me this time -

BEN:

Oh my God.

MRS. ROBINSON

If you won't sleep with me this

time, Benjamin, I want you to

know you can call me up any

time you want and we'll make

some kind of arrangement.

BEN:

Let me out!

MRS. ROBINSON

Do you understand what I said?

BEN:

Yes. Yes. Let me out!

MRS. ROBINSON

Because I find you very attractive

and any time -

There is the SOUND of a CAR in the driveway outside.

Ben leaps at the door, pushes Mrs. Robinson aside,

struggles with the door, gets the door open, runs into

the hall and down the stairs.

39INT. SUNROOM - NIGHT

Ben rushes into the sunroom and sits down. SOUND of

FOOTSTEPS on the driveway outside. Ben jumps up, gets

the glass he had been drinking from and sits down again.

SOUND of the front door OPENING and CLOSING.

MR. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Is that Ben's car in front?

BEN:

(jumping up)

Yes, sir!

FOOTSTEPS approach the sunroom. MR. ROBINSON enters.

BEN:

I drove - I drove Mrs. Robinson

home. She wanted me to drive

her home so I - I drove her home.

MR. ROBINSON

Swell. I appreciate it.

BEN:

She's upstairs. She wanted me

to wait down here till you got

home.

MR. ROBINSON

Standing guard over the old

castle, are you?

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