The Graduate Page #8

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Mrs. Braddock steps in beside Mr. Braddock.

MRS. BRADDOCK

The Robinson's are here.

Mr. Robinson steps in beside the others. They blot out

the sun.

MR. ROBINSON

Hi, Ben. What are you doing with

yourself these days?

BEN:

Oh - not too much. Taking it

easy.

MR. ROBINSON

That's what I'd do if I could.

Nothing wrong with that. Hey

Ben, Elaine's coming down from

Berkeley soon. I want you to

call her up this time.

BEN:

I will.

MR. ROBINSON

Because I just think you two

would hit it off real well

together.

Mrs. Robinson steps in beside them. (A long pause)

MRS. BRADDOCK

Say hello to Mrs. Robinson,

Benjamin.

84SHOT - BEN

BEN:

Hello, Mrs. Robinson.

MRS. ROBINSON

Hello, Benjamin.

DISSOLVE TO:

85INT. BEN'S ROOM - NIGHT

Ben, halfway dressed to go out, in slacks, shirt and tie,

sits in a chair. The door opens and Mrs. Braddock enters.

MRS. BRADDOCK

Can I talk to you a minute?

BEN:

Sure.

MRS. BRADDOCK

Benjamin? I'm going to ask you

something but you don't have to

tell me if you don't want.

BEN:

What?

MRS. BRADDOCK

Well I'm going to ask you what

you do when you go off at night.

BEN:

When I go off?

MRS. BRADDOCK

You don't have to tell me if

you don't want.

BEN:

No, I do. I want to tell you.

There is a pause.

BEN:

I drive around.

MRS. BRADDOCK

What else?

BEN:

Nothing else.

MRS. BRADDOCK

Well you don't drive around from

midnight until noon the next

day, Benjamin.

BEN:

Oh, no.

MRS. BRADDOCK

Then what do you do? Do you

meet someone?

BEN:

Meet someone?

She nods.

BEN:

Why did you say that?

MRS. BRADDOCK

Well this is your business,

Benjamin.

(she starts toward

the door)

If you -

BEN:

No wait. Wait.

She stops.

BEN:

I don't meet anyone, mother, but

why did you say that?

MRS. BRADDOCK

Benjamin, I'm not going to pry

into your affairs, but I'd

rather you didn't say anything

at all than be dishonest.

Goodnight, Benjamin.

BEN:

Well, wait.

She looks at him.

BEN:

You think I'm being dishonest?

She nods.

BEN:

Well why do you - why do you

think that?

MRS. BRADDOCK

Because I know you don't drive

around for twelve hours.

BEN:

Oh. Well, I don't. Shall I

tell you what I do?

MRS. BRADDOCK

Not if you don't want to.

BEN:

I do.

MRS. BRADDOCK

But I don't want you to make

up something.

BEN:

I'm not. But I'm - I'm not very

proud of what I do. I usually

get kind of drunk. I usually

drive over to Los Angeles and

go to some bars and get kind of

drunk. Then I take a hotel

room. So I won't have to drive

home on the freeway. I mean it

kind of scares me to drive home

after -

MRS. BRADDOCK

Goodnight, Benjamin.

BEN:

You believe me, don't you?

MRS. BRADDOCK

No.

BEN:

You don't?

She shakes her head.

BEN:

But I want you to. Please. Please

will you believe me.

85ASHOT - MRS. BRADDOCK

MRS. BRADDOCK

(she exits)

Goodnight.

BEN'S VOICE

Wait a minute.

CUT TO:

86-

90OMITTED

91INT. TAFT HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT - SHOT - BEN

Mrs. Robinson's hands are undoing his necktie. Ben is

dressed as in previous scene, plus a jacket.

BEN:

Wait a minute.

(he pushes her

hand away)

Sit down a minute.

Mrs. Robinson looks at him and raises her eyebrows.

BEN:

Will you please sit down a

minute.

Mrs. Robinson walks to the bed and sits. She reaches

down to take off a shoe.

BEN:

Will you leave that shoe on for

a minute. Please.

She straightens up.

BEN:

Now - do you think we could say

a few words to each other first

this time?

MRS. ROBINSON

If you want.

BEN:

Good. I mean are we dead or

something?

MRS. ROBINSON

Well I just don't think we have

much to say to each other.

BEN:

All we ever do is come up here

and throw off the clothes and

leap into bed together.

MRS. ROBINSON

Are you tired of it?

BEN:

I'm not. No. But do you think

we could liven it up with a

few words now and then?

MRS. ROBINSON

Well what do you want to talk

about?

BEN:

Anything. Anything at all.

MRS. ROBINSON

Do you want to tell me about

some of your college experiences?

BEN:

Oh my God.

MRS. ROBINSON

Well?

BEN:

Mrs. Robinson. If that's the best

we can do let's just get the god-

damn clothes off and --

She reaches for her shoe.

BEN:

Leave it on! Now we are going to

do this thing. We are going to

have a conversation. Think of

another topic.

MRS. ROBINSON

How about art.

BEN:

Art. That's a good subject.

You start it off.

MRS. ROBINSON

You start it off. I don't know

anything about it.

BEN:

Oh.

MRS. ROBINSON

Don't you?

BEN:

Yes I do. I know quite a bit

about it.

MRS. ROBINSON

Go ahead then.

BEN:

Art. Well what do you want to

know about it.

She shrugs.

BEN:

Are you interested more in modern

art or more in classical art.

MRS. ROBINSON

Neither.

BEN:

You're not interested in art?

MRS. ROBINSON

No.

BEN:

Then why do you want to talk

about it?

MRS. ROBINSON

I don't.

Ben nods and looks at the rug.

MRS. ROBINSON

Can I take off my clothes now?

BEN:

No. Think of another topic.

Tell me what you did today.

MRS. ROBINSON

Do you really want me to?

BEN:

Yes I do.

MRS. ROBINSON

I got up.

Ben starts shaking his head.

MRS. ROBINSON

Do you want to hear it or not?

BEN:

Yes. But you might try and spice

it up with a little originality.

MRS. ROBINSON

I got up. I ate breakfast and

went shopping. During the after-

noon I read a novel.

BEN:

What one.

MRS. ROBINSON

What?

BEN:

What novel did you read.

MRS. ROBINSON

I don't remember.

Ben nods.

MRS. ROBINSON

Then I fixed supper for my husband

and waited until -

BEN:

There!

MRS. ROBINSON

What?

BEN:

Your husband! Mrs. Robinson!

There's something we could have

a conversation about.

MRS. ROBINSON

Him?

BEN:

I mean everything. I don't know

anything about how you - how you

work this. I don't know how you

get out of the house at night. I

don't know the risk involved.

MRS. ROBINSON

There isn't any.

BEN:

There's no risk?

She shakes her head.

BEN:

How do you get out of the house?

MRS. ROBINSON

I walk out.

BEN:

You walk right out the door.

She nods.

BEN:

What do you say to him?

MRS. ROBINSON

He's asleep.

BEN:

Always?

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin, this isn't a very

interesting topic.

BEN:

Please. Now tell me. How do

you know he won't wake up

sometime and follow you.

MRS. ROBINSON

Because he takes sleeping pills.

He takes three sleeping pills

every night at ten o'clock.

BEN:

But what about the noise from

the car. What if -

MRS. ROBINSON

The driveway's on my side of

the house.

BEN:

(smiling)

We're talking.

MRS. ROBINSON

What?

BEN:

We're talking, Mrs. Robinson.

We're talking.

MRS. ROBINSON

Calm down, Benjamin.

BEN:

Now let's keep going here.

MRS. ROBINSON

Can I undress and talk at the

same time?

BEN:

Right.

MRS. ROBINSON

Thank you.

BEN:

Now. You say the driveway's on

your side of the house. So I

guess you don't sleep in the

same room.

MRS. ROBINSON

We don't.

BEN:

So you don't - I mean I don't

like to seem like I'm prying

but I guess you don't sleep

together or anything.

MRS. ROBINSON

No we don't.

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