DEAD POETS SOCIETY 6 страница

KEATING

Just when you think you know something,

you have to look at it in another way.

Even though it may seem silly or wrong,

you must try! Now, when you read, don't

just consider what the author thinks.

Consider what you think.

KEATING

Boys, you must strive to find your own

voice. Because the longer you wait to

begin, the less likely you are to find

it at all. Thoreau said, " Most men lead

lives of quiet desperation. " Don't be

resigned to that. Break out!

Keating notices Spaz and another boy leaving the desk immediately.

KEATING

Don't just walk off the edge like lemmings.

Look around you.

The school bell rings as the boys continue to climb onto the desk.

Keating begins to gather up his stuff. The clock begins to toll as

Keating walks to the back of the class.

KEATING

There! There you go, Mr. Priske. Thank

you! Yes! Dare to strike out and find

new ground. Now, in addition to your

essays, I would like you to compose a

poem of your own, an original work.

The students begin to groan. Keating begins flickering the lights

off and on while chanting ominously.

KEATING

That's right! You have to deliver it

aloud in front of the class on Monday.

Bonne chance, gentlemen.

Keating steps out into the hall before quickly peeking back in once again.

Todd is the last one to stand on the desk and is about to jump off.

KEATING

Mr. Anderson? Don't think that I don't

know that this assignment scares the

hell out of you, you mole.

Keating flicks the light off, leaving Todd to jump down in the darkness as the students laugh.

EXT. RIVER - DAY

Cameron, Charlie, and several other boys are rowing while Mr. Nolan

shouts orders from a bullhorn.

MR. NOLAN

Take a power train in two! Three! Keep

your eyes in the boat!

EXT. CAMPUS ROOFTOP - DAY

Noisy static is replaced by music as Pitts climbs down form the peak to join Meeks at their makeshift radio.

MEEKS

We got it, Pittsie. We got it! Radio

Free America!

EXT CAMPUS - DAY

Several students are fencing on a grassy slope.

EXT. CAMPUS ROOFTOP - DAY

Meeks and Pitts perform a goofy dance together to the music.

INT. TODD'S ROOM - DAY

Todd is on his bed trying to write a poem. The door opens and Todd

turns his writing pad over. Neil enters the room laughing. He crouches

down next to Todd's bed and plunks a sheet of paper in Todd's lap.

NEIL

I found it.

TODD

You found what?

NEIL

What I wanna do right now. What's

really, really inside me.

TODD

" A Midsummer Night's Dream"?

NEIL

This is it.

TODD

What is this?

NEIL

It's a play, dummy.

TODD

I know that. I-- Wh-Wh-What does it have

to do with you?

NEIL

Right. They're putting it on at Henley

Hall. Open tryouts. Open tryouts!

TODD

Yes, so?

Neil pounds on the bed and then pulls a blanket off his bed,

wearing it like a cloak.

NEIL

So, I'm gonna act. Yes, yes! I'm gonna

be an actor! Ever since I can remember,

I've wanted to try this. I even tried to

go to summer stock auditions last year,

but, of course, my father wouldn't let

me. For the first time in my whole life

I know what I wanna do.

Neil grabs a handful of papers off Todd's bed and tosses them into

the air.

NEIL

and for the first time I'm gonna do it

whether my father wants me to or not!

Carpe diem!

TODD

Neil, Neil, hold on a minute. How are

you gonna be in a play if your father

won't let you?

NEIL

First I gotta get the part, then I can

worry about that.

TODD

Yeah, but won't he kill you if he finds

out you went to an audition and didn't

even tell him?

NEIL

No, no, no, no. As far as I'm concerned,

he won't have to know about any of this.

TODD

Well, that's impossible.

NEIL

Bullshit! Nothing's impossible.

TODD

Well, why don't you just call him and

ask him? And m-maybe he'll say yes.

NEIL

That's a laugh!

Neil tosses the blanket back onto his bed.

NEIL

If I don't ask him, at least I won't

be disobeying him.

TODD

Yeah, but if he said--

NEIL

(shouting angrily)

Jesus, Todd! Whose side are you on?

Todd says nothing. Neil looks at him for a moment and then takes

the flyer back from Todd. He walks over to the window, his

excitement gone.

NEIL

I mean, I haven't even gotten the part

yet. Can't I even enjoy the idea for a

little while?

Once again, Todd says nothing. After a moment, Neil sits on the

heater and Todd returns to his poem.

NEIL

You're coming to the meeting this

afternoon?

TODD

I don't know. Maybe.

NEIL

Nothing Mr. Keating has to say means

shit to you, does it, Todd?

TODD

W-What is that supposed to mean?

NEIL

You're in the club! Being in the club

means being stirred up by things. You

look about as stirred up as a cesspool.

Neil gets up from the window and stands over Todd.

TODD

So- You want me out?

NEIL

No! I want you in, but being in means

you gotta do something. Not just say

you're in.

TODD

Well, listen, Neil. I-I appreciate this

concern, but I-I'm not like you. All

right? You, you, you say thing and

people listen. I'm, I'm not like that.

NEIL

Don't you think you could be?

TODD

No! I--I, I don't know, but that's not

the point. The, the, the point is that

there's nothing you can do about it, so

you can just butt out. I can take care

of myself just fine. All right?

NEIL

No.

TODD

What do you mean, " no"?

A smile comes to Neil's face.

NEIL

No.

Neil grabs Todd's notebook of poetry and runs across the room with

it. Todd leaps up after him.

TODD

Give me-- Neil. Neil, give that back.

The two begin racing in circles around the room, jumping from

bed to bed as Todd tries to grab his poem back.

NEIL

" We are dreaming of a--" Poetry! I'm

being chased by Walt Whitman! Okay,

okay.

Neil drops the notebook. Cameron walks into the room.

CAMERON

What are you guys doing? I'm sure-- You

see this chemistry-

Cameron tries to hold up his book and Neil snatches it from his hands and suddenly all three of them are racing around the room.

CAMERON

Hey, give me-- Neil, give me-- Don't be

immature. Come on. I need my-

Charlie enters the room and begins waving his hands.

CHARLIE

Give it to me! Give it to me!

NEIL

Charlie!

Neil tosses Cameron's book to Charlie.

CAMERON

Let me have my book, I need my-

The four boys continue racing around the cramped quarters, tossing

Cameron's book back and forth. Neil picks up a recorder and begins

blowing erratic notes on it while Charlie starts pounding on a set of

bongo drums. Outside the room a crowd of boys watch.

EXT. CAMPUS ENTRANCE - DAY

Knox is riding his bike around in circles near the entrance. Seeing no

one nearby, he races through the open gates and down the road. He comes to the top of a hill and then goes downhill across the grass, shouting

as he sends an immense flock of geese flying into the air.

EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY

A number of vehicles drive up, filled with students dressed in bright red cosyumes, playing trumpets and various other instruments as they pass.

Knox watches the growing crowd of students. They are all converging on

a bus. A football player, wearing a horned helmet, dances on the roof of the bus. A band is playing while a group of cheerleaders are practising.

Knox spots Chris amongst the cheerleaders. He watches her until Chet

comes along and she grabs hold of his hand. Knox looks away in disgust.

COACH

Okay, everybody on the bus. Let's go,

boys. Come on, let's go. On the bus,

boys. Now!

Chris jumps into Chet's arms as everyone begins to board the buses. Knox turns his bike around and leaves.

EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY

Keating walks across the field, followed by his students. He kicks a ball ahead of him while he carries a number of other balls in a net slung over his shoulder.

KEATING

Now, devotees may argue that one sport

or game is inherently better than

another. For me, sport is actually a

chance for us to have other human beings

push us to excel. I want you all to come

over here and take a slip of paper and

line up single file.

Keating reaches the stands. He tosses the balls aside and pulls sets

his briefcase down. As the boys line up he begins ripping off slips

of paper from a notepad and handing them out.

KEATING

Mr. Meeks, time to inherit the earth.

Mr. Pitts, rise above your name.

He hands the notepad to another student.

KEATING

I want you to hand these out to the boys,

one apiece.

EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY

The students are all lined up in single file, each holding a slip

of paper. Keating blows his whistle.

KEATING

You know what to do, Pitts.

PITTS

" Oh to struggle against great odds. To

meet enemies undaunted. "

KEATING

Sounds to me like you're daunted. Say it

again like you're undaunted.

PITTS

" Oh to struggle against great odds. To

meet enemies undaunted. "

KEATING

Now go on.

Pitts gives one of the soccer balls a good kick.

KEATING

Yes! Next.

One of the students sets up the next ball as the line advances.

BOY 1

" To be a sailor of the world, bound for

all ports. "

KEATING

Next. Louder!

BOY 2

" Oh, I live to be the ruler of life, not

a slave. "

Keating walks away and starts up a record player.

BOY 3

" To mount the scaffolds. To advance to

the muzzle of guns with perfect

nonchalance. "

Classical music begins playing on the phonograph. Meeks goes to