The Graduate Page #5

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Ben's arms come into view and pull the mask down.

We are now looking through the mask as we MOVE FORWARD

down the hall. Everything is slightly distorted through

the glass. Ben's hand comes up again with the breathing

apparatus in it.

SOUND:
the rythmic PUMPING of air, obliterating the

SOUND of the people around the pool who seem to be

applauding and chattering noiselessly.

We MOVE out of the door and toward the pool. Mr. Braddock

is running back and forth, clapping his hands and

delivering his now soundless pitch.

We MOVE DOWN the steps and into the shallow end of the

pool. Mr. Braddock is moving along the side of the pool,

motioning toward us to come down to the deep end. He

joins Mr. Arnold at the far end of the pool. They both

begin to motion us toward them.

We get to the deep end of the pool. Mr. Braddock signals

us with his hand to go under. He kneels down by the edge

of the pool and reaches out with his hand and pushes us

under. He has a big smile.

We SURFACE again and PAN AROUND for a last look. The

figures, through the slightly distorted glass of the mask

of Mrs. Arnold and Mrs. Braddock, watching and smiling;

the neighbors on each side of the house, looking over their

fences and laughing and pointing; Mr. Arnold nodding

encouragement and talking; Mr. Braddock on his knees,

smiling and trying to reach out far enough to push us

under. We GO UNDER and SINK to the bottom of the pool.

46EXT. BRADDOCK BACKYARD AND POOL AREA - DAY

OVERHEAD SHOT (HELICOPTER POV)

Looking down on the pool, on Ben's black suited body at

the bottom and the people standing around the pool, looking

down into it.

PULL UP AND UP AND UP

Until there are thirty houses below us, with its owners,

swimming, playing, eating, cooking, reading, dancing,

sunbathing, constructing and gardening around thirty pools.

SOUND of Ben's BREATHING APPARATUS, fading into the SOUND

of the WIND.

Hold for a few seconds, then:

SOUND of a dime DROPPING into a pay phone and DIALING.

DISSOLVE TO:

47INT. TAFT HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT - CLOSEUP - BEN

In a phone booth. The booth is in the entrance area of

the hotel between the lobby and the driveway. Ben holds

the receiver to his ear. SOUND of PHONE RINGING.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Hello.

BEN:

Mrs. Robinson - I don't quite

know how to put this -

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Benjamin?

BEN:

Look - I was thinking about that

time after the party -

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Where are you?

BEN:

- and I was wondering if I could

buy you a drink or something -

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Where are you?

BEN:

Uh - The Taft Hotel.

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Did you get a room?

BEN:

No. Now I know it's pretty

late and if you'd rather -

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

Give me an hour.

BEN:

What?

MRS. ROBINSON'S VOICE

I'll be there in an hour.

SOUND of her HANGING UP. Ben hangs up slowly.

He stands up in the booth, looks around, moves about

uncomfortably for a few moments, removes his jacket and

carrying it folded across his arm in front of him,

leaves the phone booth and crosses to the doors that

lead to the main lobby. As he is about to go in, the

doors open and a group of VERY OLD PEOPLE start coming

out, filling the doorway and moving very slowly, muttering

to each other and helping each other out of the door and

down the steps. Ben holds one of the doors open for them

and stands politely to one side. As they get through,

Ben starts to move inside. At that moment, A DOZEN YOUNG

PEOPLE, dressed as though for a high school dance, push

him to one side and move past him into the lobby. He

moves back against the other door, holding it open and

allowing them to go in first. He smiles politely and they

pay no attention to him at all. He follows them into the

lobby. They move toward the front desk and he moves with

them. One of the boys at the front of the group leans in

and says something to the CLERK behind the desk.

The clerk points across the lobby and says something to

him. There are the SOUNDS of an orchestra PLAYING some-

where. The group of young people passes by the desk

and Ben moves in behind them. He pauses at the desk and

looks apprehensively at the hundreds of pigeon holes against

the wall with the room numbers painted under them and the

keys dangling suggestively.

ROOM CLERK:

Can I help you, sir!

BEN:

What? Oh - no - I'm just -

He points vaguely in the direction of the other young

people.

ROOM CLERK:

Are you here for an affair,

sir?

Terror and disbelief start in Ben's eyes. He looks

helplessly at the clerk.

BEN:

What?

ROOM CLERK:

The Singleman party, sir?

BEN:

Oh - yes. The Singleman party.

ROOM CLERK:

It's in the main ballroom.

BEN:

Ahh - thank you.

Ben backs off and turns and starts across the lobby.

He puts on his jacket as he goes. He gets to the entrance

to the main ballroom. He pauses at the door, looks in.

What he sees:
People dancing, talking, sitting, etc.

He turns back toward te lobby. He stops.

What he sees:
The room clerk scross the lobby watching

him.

Ben flashes a huge smile and points in toward the ballroom

as though to express his joy at finding the Singleman

affair inside, then turns back and enters the ballroom.

48INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

As Ben steps inside.

VOICE:

Hello.

Ben turns. Four people stand in a row. Official greeters,

they are:
A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN, AN OLDER MAN, AN ELDERLY

LADY AND A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD BOY, dressed formally and they

are smiling with great determination.

BEN:

Hello.

It is the older lady who has said hello.

MRS. SINGLEMAN

You must be one of the Porters.

She grasps Ben's hand and shakes it.

BEN:

No - actually I'm not -

MRS. SINGLEMAN

I'd like you to know my sister,

Miss DeWitte -

MISS DEWITTE, who, from the looks of things, always has

been and always will be, Miss DeWitte, takes Ben's hand.

MISS DeWITTE

How do you do?

BEN:

How do you do, Miss DeWitte?

MRS. SINGLEMAN

- and my husband, Mr. Singleman -

Ben finds himself shaking the twelve-year-old boy's

hand.

BEN:

(apologetically)

Oh - sorry -

JEFFREY SINGLEMAN

Fine, thank you.

MRS. SINGLEMAN

That's Jeffrey, of course.

Ben switches to Mr. Singleman's hand.

BEN:

Of course.

MR. SINGLEMAN

I didn't get your name, sir.

BEN:

Benjamin Braddock, sir.

Mrs. Singleman looks at the seating list she has been

holding.

MRS. SINGLEMAN

Braddock - Braddock?

BEN:

Yes, but I'm afraid -

MRS. SINGLEMAN

I'll find your table in a moment.

Braddock. Not Braniff? We have

a Braniff.

BEN:

No - actually I'm just looking

for a friend.

MRS. SINGLEMAN

I'm afraid I don't understand.

BEN:

(backing off)

I'm not with your party - I'm

sorry.

MRS. SINGLEMAN

Hey - I don't get it.

Ben is backing out.

MISS DeWITTE

I've enjoyed meeting you, Mr.

Braniff.

MRS. SINGLEMAN

Angela - please!

Ben backs out of the ballroom.

49INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT

Ben crosses the lobby, passing PEOPLE going in and out of

the hotel. He stops at the entrance of the Veranda Room:

50INT. VERANDA ROOM - NIGHT

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