Dead Poet's Society

Dead Poet's Society 

1 INT WELTON ACADAMY DINING HALL - DAY - VARIOUS SHOTS 1

CREDITS ROLL

On the left is a life-sized mural depicting a group of young

school boys looking up adoringly at a woman who represents

liberty. On the right is a mural showing young men gathered

around an industrialist in a corporate boardroom. Between the

murals stands a boy.

An odd, blaring MUSICAL SOUND starts and stops, interrupted

by the noise of pumping. A teacher hurries to the boy,

adjusts his tie, and leads him off.

On another wall is a full-sized portrait of a 19th century

Scotsman in a kilt. In front at this, young boys carrying

banners, and several elderly men in old-fashioned costumes

assembling into a processional formation. Nervous younger

boys (7th graders) are shown their places in line and handed

candles. They light each others.' candles until all their

candles are lit.

Suddenly the MUSIC BLASTS FORTH in its full splendor. It is

a BAGPIPE. The bagpiper, in a kilt like the one in the

portrait, begins a processional march.

2 INT CORRIDOR ADJACENT THE DINING ROOM - SAME 2

The bagpiper enters a long slate and stone hallway. The

haunting timbre of his antiquated instrument reverberates

through the building. Momentarily, he is followed by the

other processional marchers. He leads them down the corridor

and down a threshold staircase into:

3 INT. WELTON'S OLD, STONE CHAPEL - CONTINUOUS 3

Where two hundred high school-aged boys--most of whom wear

black blazers--sit on either side of the central aisle

watching the procession move onto the dais in front. Beside

most of these boys are their parents.

VARIOUS ANGLES ON THE PROCESSION

FOUR 16-YEAR-OLD Boys CARRY BANNERS.

Each boy is dressed in an archaic, turn-of-the-century

outfit. On each banner is emblazoned a different word. One

reads "TRADITION," another reads "HONOR",' a third reads

DISCIPLINE, the last reads 'EXCELLENCE."

THE ELDERLY MEN

in their 70s and SOS, obviously the school's oldest alumni,

each wearing a name tag and the uniform of his day, make their

way toward the stage.

THE SEVENTH GRADERS

carrying candles are nervous and self-conscious. Most

concentrate intently on keeping their candles lit while they

march. One young boy's candle has gone cut and he can barely

keep from crying.

The bagpiper stands at the corner of the dais, marching in

place. Behind him, in black robes, sit the school's 30-odd

teachers. The processional's elderly alumni fill the chairs

of honor on the dais.

The four young BANNER CARRIERS peel off from the main aisle

and take seats beside their parents in the audience. The 7th

graders take seats with their parents too. A purple and black

robed man who brings up the rear of the procession walks up to

the podium. Me is HEADMASTER GALE NOLAN, a big man, in his

mid-60s. The music stops.

NOLAN

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished

alumni, and students: This year marks

the one hundredth year that Welton

Academy has been in existence.

Applause begins. Soon the whole room is standing in a

thunderous ovation. After an appropriate amount of time,

Nolan motions for everyone to be seated.

NOLAN (CONT'D)

One hundred years ago, in 1859, forty-one boys sat in this

room and were asked the same question that now greets you at

the start of each semester: Gentlemen, what are the four

pillars?

All of the students stand at attention. Find TODD ANDERSON

sitting between his parents. Todd is 16, good looking, but he

seems beaten down, lacking confidence, unhappy. He wears a

name tag and no Welton blazer. When the others stand, Todd's

mother nudges him. Todd stands. He watches as the other

students:

ALL THE BOYS IN UNISON

Tradition! Honor! Discipline!

Excellence!

All the boys sit. Todd sits too. All is silent again.

NOLAN

In her first year, Welton Academy

graduated five students. Last year we

graduated fifty-one and over seventy-five

percent of those went to the Ivy League!

Applause. During it we rind KNOX OVERSTREET and CHARLIE

DALTON, both 16, and both in Welton blazers. Knox (sitting

between his parents) carries a banner. He has curly hair,

looks outgoing, is short but well built. Charlie, also with

his parents, has a handsome yet friendly face. He carries no

banner but, when Nolan mentions Ivy League, both these boys

fit the bill.

NOLAN (CONT'D)

This kind of accomplishment is the

result of fervent dedication to the

principles taught here. This is why you

parents have been sending us your sons,

and this is why we are the best

preparatory school in the United States.

(more applause)

New students

All turn to look at the new students the 7th graders and

transfer students. Todd Anderson is among them and he looks

incredibly self-conscious.

NOLAN (CONT'D)

The key to your success rests on our

four pillars. These are the bywords of

this school and they will become the

cornerstones of your lives. Welton

Society candidate Richard Cameron...

In the audience, not far from Todd is Richard CAMERON, one of

the banner carriers, 16, his father's little clone. He stands

eagerly to attention. Too eagerly.

CAMERON

Yes sir!

NOLAN

What is Tradition?

CAMERON

Tradition, Mr. Nolan, is love of school,

country, and family. Our tradition at

Welton is to be the best!

NOLAN

Good, Mr. Cameron. Welton Society

Candidate George Hopkins. Honor.

Cameron sits. His father beams smugly.

HOPKINS (O.S.)

Honor is dignity and the fulfillment of

duty!

NOLAN

Good, Mr. Hopkins. Honor Society

Candidate, Knox Overstress

Knox, as mentioned, is a banner-holder. He stands.

KNOX

Yes sir.

NOLAN

What is discipline?

KNOX

Discipline is respect for parents,

teachers, headmaster. Discipline comes

from within.

NOLAN

Thank you, Mr. Overstress. Honor

Candidate Neil Perry.

Knox sits. Knox's proud father and mother give him pats of

encouragement. NEIL PERRY stands. Whereas some boys have two

or three achievement pins an the lapels of their coats, Neil

has a huge cluster of them on the pocket of his jacket. Neil

is 16, intense, a born leader. However, there is more than a

hint of anger and dissatisfaction in his eyes. Beside him

sits his unsmiling father, MR. PERRY.

NOLAN

Excellence, Mr. Perry.

NEIL (rote)

Excellence is the result of hard work.

Excellence is the key to all success, in

school and everywhere.

Neil sits. He doesn't look at his father nor does his father

look at him.

NOLAN

Gentlemen, at Welton you will work

harder than you have ever worked in your

lives, and your reward will be the

success that all of us expect of you. I

would now like to call to the podium

Welton's oldest living graduate- Mr.

Alexander Carmichael, Jr., Class of 1866.

An octogenarian on stage shuns help from those beside him and

makes his way slowly--excruciatingly slowly--to the podium As

the audience rises to another standing ovation

DISSOLVE TO:

4 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY - MAIN LAWN - DAY 4

Welton Academy is a cluster of traditional weathered stone

buildings. The time is 1959 but at Welton this is irrelevant.

This school with its traditions is completely isolated from

the politics or trends of the outside world.

The students stand with their parents under a giant tent.

Finger food, coffee, tea and punch are laid cut on white

clothed tables.

Charlie's mother stands dotingly fixing Charlie's hair. Then

she kisses him.

Knox's father has his hand affectionately around his son.

Mr. Perry stands adjusting the achievement pins on Neil's

jacket.

Todd Anderson's parents stand chatting with another couple,

paying no attention to Todd who looks very much alone.

Mr.Nolan walks by and looks at Todd's name tag.

NOLAN

Ah, Mr. Anderson. You have some big

shoes to fill, young man. Your brother

was one of our best.