“I’ve tried, to some extent, to disassemble my style, to fight against my own signature. Because I’ve observed that the great postwar directors from Europe, the great stylists—eventually, their horizons began to narrow. And I found myself tuning out their films because the subject became less and less important. So I decided I would try to be unpredictable and just look for good stories.” —Peter Weir
In 1985, screenwriter Tom Schulman penned a spec script, drawing inspiration from an unconventional and impactful teacher from his sophomore English class. Despite his agent’s praise, Schulman was warned about the script’s marketability. A film set in a 1950s all-boys school, titled with what his agent considered “the three worst possible words I could think of in a title,”—’dead,’ ‘poets,’ and ‘society’—seemed destined for obscurity. However, against expectations, “Dead Poets Society” resonated deeply with audiences. It became a cultural touchstone, captivating generations and earning four Academy Award nominations in 1990, including Best Picture and Best Director for Peter Weir. Tom Schulman ultimately won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Producer Steven Haft recognized the script’s power immediately and optioned it. A fortunate connection with Jeffrey Katzenberg, then chairman of Walt Disney Studios, led to Disney’s swift acquisition of the project. Initially, Jeff Kanew (Revenge of the Nerds) was slated to direct, envisioning Liam Neeson as the transformative English teacher, John Keating. However, the studio had another actor in mind, and creative differences arose. According to Schulman, “[t]he studio wanted Robin Williams, and Robin wouldn’t say no, but he wouldn’t say yes, to working with that director. In fact, we prepped the movie, built the sets—it was going to be shot outside of Atlanta—and Robin just didn’t show up for the first day of shooting. He never said he would, but Disney kept trying to pressure him by moving forward. After the first day he didn’t show up, they canceled the production and burned the sets. We actually have dailies of the sets burning.”
Enter Australian director Peter Weir. Katzenberg presented him with the script, and Weir, intrigued by the title, read it on a flight to Sydney. He was immediately captivated. Schulman lauded Weir’s collaborative and respectful approach to filmmaking. He recounted a pivotal disagreement over a scene where students visit Keating in the hospital, revealing he has lymphoma. Weir argued for its removal, believing it would overshadow the film’s core message. Schulman initially resisted, but Weir’s persuasive reasoning ultimately prevailed. Schulman explained, “So I said, well, I don’t agree. And he said, ‘I know you don’t and I don’t expect you to… if you told me right now that you agree, I wouldn’t have any respect for you. I know that you believe in this, so I’m coming over to the States in about two weeks and we’ll get together and talk about it.’ So, I went home and went through a thousand reasons why he was wrong. I was going to win the argument. And he got there and for two or three days we were arguing about it (…) and his first argument was, ‘This movie will just be reviewed as a disease of the week kind of movie. It’ll be kind of weepy. This one notion will swallow everything else that you’ve done in the movie. It will be about a teacher who’s dying. And that’s different. And I don’t think that’s what you want.’ But he finally said, ‘Look, it’s easy for a bunch of boys to stand up, it’s easy for anybody to stand up for someone who’s dying, you know? That’s a courtesy almost.’ He said, ‘But if he’s not dying, then we know they’re standing up for what he’s taught them, for what he believes in.’ So, you know… that’s right. That was it.”
Weir’s collaborative spirit extended to inviting Schulman to the set, encouraging his input and even allowing him to experiment with directing. This openness permeated the entire production. On the first day, Weir encouraged the cast and crew to share ideas, fostering a creative environment where everyone felt valued. This approach yielded unexpected gems. For instance, a stand-in contributed the poem recited by Keating during a lunch scene, which replaced the original scripted lines. The stand-in’s poem, “But only in their dreams can men be truly free. ‘Twas always thus, and always thus will be,” perfectly captured the film’s essence.
Robin Williams’ performance also benefited from Weir’s direction. Initially adhering closely to the script, Williams’ portrayal felt somewhat restrained. Weir, recognizing Williams’ improvisational genius, secretly scheduled an unscheduled shoot day, hidden from Disney executives, to allow Williams to improvise. Tasked with teaching the students anything he desired, Williams chose Shakespeare, resulting in the iconic scene where Keating impersonates Marlon Brando and John Wayne while reciting Shakespearean monologues. This improvisation unlocked Williams’ performance, with nearly fifteen percent of his dialogue ultimately being ad-libbed. Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard also contributed to the film’s spontaneous moments, improvising the “flying desk set” sequence, adding humor and deepening the bond between their characters.
Schulman considered Ethan Hawke’s character, Todd Anderson, the film’s true protagonist, mirroring his own teenage shyness and fear of public speaking. Hawke, a method actor influenced by Stanislavski, approached the role with intense seriousness, initially put off by Williams’ on-set humor. However, Williams’ playful teasing, intended to break Hawke’s intensity, inadvertently helped him. Despite Hawke’s initial perception that Williams disliked him, Williams recognized Hawke’s talent, telling his agent to sign him, predicting, “he was going to be somebody.” Hawke later reflected on filming the “YAWP!” scene with Williams, describing it as the moment he experienced “the thrill of acting and the thrill of losing yourself.” He elaborated, “It’s this way of losing yourself, where you lose yourself inside a story, a story that’s in service of something way beyond you. And I felt that in Dead Poets Society.”
The making of “Dead Poets Society” mirrored the film’s themes of openness, creativity, and experimentation, creating a truly unique and resonant cinematic experience.
O Captain! My Captain!: John Keating and the Spark of Individuality
“O Captain, my Captain. Who knows where that comes from? Anybody? Not a clue? It’s from a poem by Walt Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Now in this class you can either call me Mr. Keating, or if you’re slightly more daring, O Captain my Captain.” —John Keating
Set in 1959, “Dead Poets Society” introduces John Keating (Robin Williams) as a new English teacher at Welton Academy, a prestigious all-boys preparatory school steeped in “tradition, honor, discipline, and excellence.” Keating, however, champions different values: individuality, passion, and living authentically. His unconventional teaching methods, initially perplexing to his students, soon become a source of inspiration, encouraging them to think independently and embrace their emotions. Discovering Keating’s past involvement in the “Dead Poets Society,” a clandestine group dedicated to poetry and romanticism, the boys, led by newcomer Todd Anderson, revive the society. They begin meeting in a secluded cave, reading poetry aloud, seeking inspiration and self-discovery.
Knox Overstreet: ‘You mean, it was a bunch of guys sitting around reading poetry?’
John Keating: ‘No, Mr Overstreet, it wasn’t just guys. We weren’t a Greek organization. We were Romantics. We didn’t just read poetry, we let it drip from our tongues like honey. Spirits soared, women swooned… and gods were created, gentlemen. Not a bad way to spend an evening, eh?’
Peter Weir’s direction imbues “Dead Poets Society” with a vibrant energy, largely emanating from John Keating’s zest for life. Keating challenges his students’ conformist upbringing, exposing them to ideas and experiences that awaken their potential during a crucial period of self-discovery. He empowers them to understand “carpe diem” not as a mere phrase, but as a call to action, urging them to seize the day and make their lives extraordinary.
“Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.” —John Keating
Inspired by “carpe diem,” the boys embark on a journey of self-discovery, realizing that life is not a passive observation but a challenge to be embraced. They shed their passivity, rejecting the status quo and the “well-known safety of windless waters” for the exhilarating, albeit turbulent, journey of self-expression.
“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!” —John Keating
This newfound refusal to conform ignites a process of self-discovery. Each boy’s path is unique. For Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke), it means overcoming his shyness and recognizing his inherent worth. For Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen), it’s about unleashing his free spirit and embracing spontaneity, even adopting the moniker “Nuwanda.” Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles) finds the courage to pursue his romantic interests, learning that the act of expressing his desires is more valuable than fearing rejection. Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), however, faces a tragic conflict. Torn between his passion for acting and his father’s rigid expectations, Neil’s brief taste of creative fulfillment makes the prospect of conformity unbearable, leading to devastating consequences.
“Dead Poets Society” poignantly highlights the societal pressure to conform, contrasting it with the bravery required to live authentically. In a world where conformity is often the norm, the film champions the courage to embrace one’s true nature, even in the face of scrutiny. Made in 1989 but set in 1959, the film’s themes remain remarkably relevant, reflecting an enduring tension between conformity and individuality that persists across generations.
“I sound my barbaric YAWP over the rooftops of the world.” —John Keating (quoting Walt Whitman)
Keating’s influence transcends the traditional role of an English teacher. He advocates for poetry and art as reflections of life’s vibrancy and passion, not mere subjects for sterile analysis. He encourages his students to engage with art as a means of understanding and expressing the full spectrum of human experience. By doing so, Keating invites his students to view life itself as art, urging them to become active creators of their own lives by seizing the day and embracing the road less traveled.
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman: ‘Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring, / Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the fools… What good amid these, O me, O life? / Answer. That you are here—that life exists and identity, / That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.’ What will your verse be?” —John Keating
“Dead Poets Society” itself embodies this philosophy, serving as a powerful work of art that reflects the essence of living authentically. Just as John Keating inspired his students, Robin Williams’ portrayal of the character has inspired countless viewers, reminding us of the importance of passion, creativity, and human connection. In a world often dominated by conformity and inauthenticity, “Dead Poets Society” and Peter Weir’s masterful direction remain a timeless reminder to “seize the day” and make our lives extraordinary.
For his enduring contribution to cinema and for bringing characters like John Keating to life, we salute Peter Weir and the unforgettable legacy of “Dead Poets Society.” O Captain, My Captain!
Further Exploration:
- Screenplay Must-Read: Tom Schulman’s screenplay for Dead Poets Society [PDF]. (NOTE: For educational and research purposes only).
- Purchase the Film: The DVD/Blu-ray of the film is available at Amazon and other online retailers.
- Behind the Script: Tom Schulman, writer of Dead Poets Society, deconstructs the story’s journey from script to screen, along with his unique working relationships on set with Robin Williams and director Peter Weir.
- Poetry Man Article: This article was written by Nancy Griffin for the July 1989 issue of Premiere magazine to coincide with the release of Dead Poets Society. [[Link to Original Article]](#) (Note: Original article link is within the provided text)
- Cinematography Masterclass: John Seale, ACS, ASC conducts an intensive and inspirational lighting workshop in the studios of the Australian Film, Radio and Television School.
- Sound Design Visionary: Learn about Alan Splet, the sound designer who collaborated with Peter Weir on Dead Poets Society and other notable films. [SoundWorks Collection]
- Peter Weir’s Directorial Insights: Peter Weir discusses his filmmaking style and offers advice to first-time directors in his David Lean Lecture. [[BAFTA Link]](#) (Note: Need to find actual BAFTA link if available)
Based on the article by Koraljka Suton.
