The Great Seduction

BY: PROVOKR Staff

In case you haven’t seen the 1967 movie here’s a quick set-up to the scene below: A young college graduate, Benjamin Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman), is being feted at his parents’ house, where he becomes reacquainted with a friend of his parents, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). Mrs. Robinson is old enough to have a daughter, Elaine, who’s Benjamin’s age. As the scene starts, Ben is currently hiding out in his bedroom when Mrs. Robinson begins to make her move.

SHOT – LONG SHOT

Over Ben to pool area and people below.  SOUND of the door OPENING.  Ben turns.  MRS. ROBINSON enters the room.

MRS. ROBINSON

Oh.  I guess this isn’t the bathroom, is it?

BEN

It’s down the hall.

They stand for a moment, looking at each other.

MRS. ROBINSON

How are you, Benjamin?

BEN

Fine, thank you.  The bathroom is down at the end of the hall.

Mrs. Robinson moves into the room and sits on the edge of the bed.

BEN

Look, Mrs. Robinson, I don’t mean to be rude but –

Mrs. Robinson takes a cigarette from her purse and lights it.

MRS. ROBINSON

Is there an ashtray in here?

BEN

No.

MRS. ROBINSON

Oh – I forgot.  The track star doesn’t smoke.

She blows out the match and puts it down carefully on the bedspread.  Ben picks up a wastebasket, walks over to the bed, picks up the match and puts it in the wastebasket.

MRS. ROBINSON

Is it a girl?

BEN

Is what a girl?

MRS. ROBINSON

Whatever it is you’re upset about.

BEN

Oh – no.  I’m just sort of disturbed about things.

MRS. ROBINSON

In general.

BEN

That’s right.

There is a long pause.

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin, I want to ask you something.

BEN

What?

MRS. ROBINSON

Will you take me home?

BEN

What?

MRS. ROBINSON

My husband took the car.  Will you drive me home?

Ben reaches into his pocket and hands Mrs. Robinson a set of car keys.

BEN

Here – you take it.

Mrs. Robinson looks at him.

BEN

Do you know how to work a foreign shift?

Mrs. Robinson shakes her head.

BEN

You don’t?

MRS. ROBINSON

No.

(there is a pause)

BEN

Let’s go.

She throws the keys to him.  He catches them.

  CUT TO:

EXT. BRADDOCK HOUSE – NIGHT

SHOOTING THROUGH THE OPEN FRONT DOOR.  Mr. Braddock is

talking to the Terhunes at the door.  Ben and Mrs.Robinson come down the hall.

BEN

Dad – Mrs. Robinson needs a ride home.  I’ll be right back.

Mr. Braddock pats Ben on the shoulder.  Mrs. Robinson is walking ahead through the front door.

MRS. ROBINSON

(as she passes the camera) Wonderful party.

EXT. ROBINSON HOUSE – NIGHT

The car comes to a stop in the Robinson driveway.  They sit for a moment.

MRS. ROBINSON

Thank you.

BEN

Right.

She doesn’t move.  Ben gets out and goes around to her side and opens the door.

MRS. ROBINSON

Will you come in, please?

BEN

What?

MRS. ROBINSON

I want you to come in till I get the lights on.

BEN

What for?

MRS. ROBINSON

Because I don’t feel safe until I get the lights on.

They move to the door.  She takes out her key and opens the door.

INT. ROBINSON HALL AND SUNROOM – NIGHT

MRS. ROBINSON

Would you mind walking ahead of me to the sun porch.  I feel funny about coming into a dark house.

BEN

But it’s light in there now.

MRS. ROBINSON

Please.

Ben turns and walks down the hall.  They enter sunroom.

MRS. ROBINSON

What do you drink?  Bourbon?

BEN

Look – I drove you home.  I was glad to do it.  But I have some things on my mind.  Can you understand that?

She nods.

BEN

All right then.

MRS. ROBINSON

What do you drink?

He looks at her.

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin – I’m sorry to be this way, but I don’t want to be alone in this house.

BEN

Why not?

MRS. ROBINSON

Please wait till my husband gets home.

BEN

When is he coming back?

MRS. ROBINSON

I don’t know.

She pours herself a drink.

MRS. ROBINSON

Drink?

BEN

No.

She hands him a drink.  There is a pause.

BEN

Are you always this much afraid of being alone?

MRS. ROBINSON

Yes.

BEN

Well, why can’t you just lock the doors and go to bed?

MRS. ROBINSON

I’m very neurotic.

She turns on the phonograph.  SOUND of PHONOGRAPH.

MRS. ROBINSON

May I ask you a question?

Ben looks at her.

MRS. ROBINSON

What do you think of me?

BEN

What do you mean?

MRS. ROBINSON

You’ve known me nearly all of your life.  You must have formed some opinion.

BEN

Well – I’ve always thought that you were a very – nice –person.

MRS. ROBINSON

Did you know I was an alcoholic?

BEN

What?

MRS. ROBINSON

Did you know that?

BEN

Look – I think I should be going –

MRS. ROBINSON

Sit down, Benjamin.

BEN

Mrs. Robinson – if you don’t mind my saying so – this conversation is getting a little strange.  Now I’m sure that Mr. Robinson will be here any minute and –

MRS. ROBINSON

No.

BEN

What?

MRS. ROBINSON

My husband will be back quite late.

They look at each other.  Ben is half standing.

MRS. ROBINSON

He should be gone for several hours.

She takes a step toward him.  He puts his hand up and retreats around the other side of the chair.

BEN

Oh my God.

MRS. ROBINSON

Pardon?

BEN

Oh no, Mrs. Robinson, oh no.

MRS. ROBINSON

What’s wrong?

BEN

Mrs. Robinson, you didn’t – I mean you didn’t expect –

MRS. ROBINSON

What?

BEN

I mean – you didn’t really think that I would do something like that.

MRS. ROBINSON

Like what?

BEN

What do you think?

MRS. ROBINSON

Well I don’t know.

BEN

For God’s sake, Mrs. Robinson, here we are, you’ve got me into your house. You give me a drink. You put on music, now you start opening up your personal life to me and tell me your husband won’t be home for hours.

MRS. ROBINSON

So?

BEN

Mrs. Robinson – you are trying to seduce me.

There is a pause.  She looks at him.

BEN

(weaker) Aren’t you?

MRS. ROBINSON

Why no.  I hadn’t thought of it. I feel rather flattered that you –

BEN

Mrs. Robinson, will you forgive me for what I just said?

MRS. ROBINSON

It’s all right.

BEN

It’s not all right, it’s the worst thing I’ve ever said to anyone.

MRS. ROBINSON

Sit down.

BEN

Please forgive me.  Because I like you.  I don’t think of you that way.  But I’m mixed up.

MRS. ROBINSON

All right.  Now finish your drink.

BEN

Mrs. Robinson, it makes me sick that I said that to you.

MRS. ROBINSON

We’ll forget it right now. Finish your drink.

BEN

What is wrong with me?

MRS. ROBINSON

Have you ever seen Elaine’s portrait?

BEN

Her portrait?

MRS. ROBINSON

Yes.

BEN

No.

MRS. ROBINSON

We had it done last Christmas. Would you like to see it?

BEN

Very much.

We move with Mrs. Robinson and Ben out of the sunroom, into the hall, up the stairs and along the hall to the doorway to Elaine’s room.

INT. ELAINE’S ROOM – NIGHT

Ben moves into the room and looks up at the portrait.

BEN

Elaine certainly is an attractive girl, isn’t she?

In the b.g. Mrs. Robinson watches him.

BEN

(looking at the portrait)

I don’t remember her as having brown eyes.

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin?

BEN

Yes?

MRS. ROBINSON

Will you unzip my dress?

He steps back.

MRS. ROBINSON

I think I’ll go to bed.

BEN

Oh.  Well, goodnight.

MRS. ROBINSON

Won’t you unzip my dress?

BEN

I’d rather not, Mrs. Robinson.

MRS. ROBINSON

If you still think I’m trying to seduce you –

BEN

No, I don’t.  But I just feel a little funny.

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin – you’ve known me all your life.

BEN

I know that.  But I’m –

MRS. ROBINSON

Come on.

She turns her back.

MRS. ROBINSON

It’s hard for me to reach.

Ben reaches forward and pulls the zipper down.

MRS. ROBINSON

Thank you.

BEN

Right.

Ben walks toward the door.

MRS. ROBINSON

What are you so scared of?

BEN

I’m not scared, Mrs. Robinson.

MRS. ROBINSON

Then why do you keep running away?

BEN

Because you’re going to bed. I don’t think I should be up here.

Mrs. Robinson lets her dress fall to the floor.

MRS. ROBINSON

Haven’t you ever seen anybody in a slip before?

BEN

Yes, I have –

He looks up at the portrait of Elaine.

BEN

But I just – look – what if Mr. Robinson walked in right now?

MRS. ROBINSON

What if he did?

BEN

Well, it would look pretty funny, wouldn’t it?

MRS. ROBINSON

Don’t you think he trusts us together?

BEN

Of course he does.  But he might get the wrong idea. Anyone might.

MRS. ROBINSON

I don’t see why.  I’m twice as old as you are.  How could anyone think –

BEN

But they would!  Don’t you see?

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin – I’m not trying to seduce you.  I wish you’d –

BEN

I know that.  But please, Mrs. Robinson.  This is difficult for me.

MRS. ROBINSON

Why is it?

BEN

Because I am confused about things. I can’t tell what I’m imagining. I can’t tell

what’s real. I can’t –

MRS. ROBINSON

Would you like me to seduce you?

BEN

What?

MRS. ROBINSON

Is that what you’re trying to tell me?

BEN

I’m going home now.  I apologize for what I said.  I hope you can forget it.  But I’m going home

right now.

Benjamin walks out of the door and down the hall.  The

CAMERA PUSHES with him to the door.  We see the entire

stairway and part of the downstairs hall.  Ben gets to

the stairs and starts down.

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

BENJAMIN?

BEN

Yes.

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

Will you bring up my purse before you go?

BEN

I have to go now.  I’m sorry.

Mrs. Robinson walks into the hall.  Her back is to us. She is holding her dress in front of her.

MRS. ROBINSON

I really don’t want to put this on again.  Won’t you bring it up?

BEN

Where is it?

MRS. ROBINSON

On that chair in the hall.

She walks out of the shot.

BEN

Mrs. Robinson?

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

I’m in the bathroom.

BEN

Well here’s the purse.

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

Could you bring it up?

BEN

Well I’ll hand it to you.

Ben starts back up the stairs.

BEN

Come to the railing and I’ll hand it up.

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

Benjamin – I am getting pretty tired of all this suspicion. Now if you won’t do me a simple

favor I don’t know what.

Ben appears as he slowly climbs the stairs.

BEN

I’m putting it on the top step.

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

For God’s sake, Benjamin, will you stop acting that way and bring me the purse?

Ben gets to the top of the stairs, and starts slowly down the hall.

BEN

I’m putting it here by the door.

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

Will you bring it in to me?

BEN

I’d rather not.

MRS. ROBINSON’S VOICE

All right.  Put it in the room where we were.

BEN

Right.

INT. ELAINE’S ROOM – NIGHT

Ben walks quickly into Elaine’s room, crosses to the bed and puts the purse down.  As he starts to turn back, he looks up at Elaine’s portrait. There is a movement reflected in the glass of the portrait. He turns quickly. Mrs. Robinson, naked, is shutting the door to the bedroom behind her.

BEN

Oh God.

She smiles.

BEN

Let me out.

She turns the lock on the door.

MRS. ROBINSON

Don’t be nervous.

BEN

Get away from that door.

MRS. ROBINSON

I want to say something first.

BEN

Jesus Christ!

MRS. ROBINSON

Benjamin – I want you to know I’m available to you.  If you won’t sleep with me this time –

BEN

Oh my God.

MRS. ROBINSON

If you won’t sleep with me this time, Benjamin, I want you to know you can call me up any

time you want and we’ll make some kind of arrangement.

BEN

Let me out!

MRS. ROBINSON

Do you understand what I said?

BEN

Yes.  Yes.  Let me out!

MRS. ROBINSON

Because I find you very attractive and any time –

There is the SOUND of a CAR in the driveway outside.

Ben leaps at the door, pushes Mrs. Robinson aside,

struggles with the door, gets the door open, runs into

the hall and down the stairs.