History Trivia / DeadPoetsSociety

* WriteWhatYouKnow: Screenwriter Tom Schulman based the film on his experiences at the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, particularly with his inspirational teacher Samuel Pickering. After the film came out, some of his old school friends phoned him up to ask if any of the characters had been based on them.

** The film was also shot in chronological order to help naturally portray the development of the boys' relationship with Mr Keating. [[spoiler: After Neil's suicide, Robert Sean Leonard was kept off set and didn't communicate with the others]] to create a natural feeling of loss amongst friends.

** The film was also shot in chronological order to help naturally portray the development of the boys' relationship with Mr Keating. [[spoiler: After Neil's suicide, Robert Sean Leonard was kept off set and didn't communicate with the others]] to create a natural feeling offloss amongst friends.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Minor example. Most parodies of the ending scene have every character shout "O Captain, my Captain" when they stand up. In the film, Todd and Knox say the phrase while everyone else stands without saying anything.

* CreatorBreakdown: Creator/RobinWilliams was going through a divorce during filming and was unusually stoic between takes.
* CreatorsFavorite: This was in fact Creator/RobinWilliams' favourite role. He'd win the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for ''Film/GoodWillHunting'' and probably be best remembered for ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'', ''{{WesternAnimation/Aladdin}}'' or ''Film/GoodMorningVietnam''.
* TheDanza: Sort of. Although Mr Keating's first name is John, during production he was referred to as 'Robin' to better be influenced by the spontaneity of Robin Williams.
* DawsonCasting: Largely averted, most of the Dead Poets were between the ages of 18-20 with the exception of Gale Hansen (Charlie Dalton) who was 29.
* DeletedRole: Creator/LaraFlynnBoyle was cast in a bit part as Chet's sister Ginny, but all of her scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, save for a few scenes in which she is glimpsed as a non-speaking extra.

* DyeingForYourArt: All the cast were taken for short, 50s-style haircuts. According to the "Look Back" special on the DVD, Creator/EthanHawke [[TraumaticHaircut found this upsetting]].

** The film was also shot in chronological order to help naturally catch the development of the boys' relationship to Mr Keating. [[spoiler: After Neil's suicide, Robert Sean Leonard was kept off set and didn't communicate with the others]] to create a natural feeling off loss amongst friends.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Subverted. Creator/EthanHawke was convinced Creator/RobinWilliams ''hated'' him because their styles were so different. Hawke approached his role ''very'' seriously, and was determined not to break when Williams turned the full force of his RapidFireComedy on him. Unbeknownst to him this actually impressed Williams, who recommended him to his first agent after filming ended.

* OneTakeWonder: The scene where Todd cries in the snow [[spoiler: after Neil's suicide]] was done in one take, because the snow was starting to fade.
* PlayingAgainstType: Features Creator/RobinWilliams in one of [[TomHanksSyndrome his earlier "serious" roles]].

* ThrowItIn: Todd's crying in the snow was going to be an interior scene. However it started to snow outside, and they quickly changed it. As noted above, it was done in one take.

** An earlier draft of the script included Ginny Danbury, Chet's sister, and a friend of Chris's. Along with giving Chris more screentime, Ginny also had the role of Hermia in the play and the actress who played her, Lara Flynn Boyle, still appears in those scenes even though the scenes with her as Ginny were cut. Even though those scenes weren't technically necessary for the rest of the movie, it would've been nice for Chris to have a friend outside of her love triangle with Chet and Knox. There's even a hint at the character, when Chris mentions her to Knox at the party as if wanting to set them up.
** Creator/LiamNeeson had originally landed the leading role to be directed by Jeff Kanew, but lost it to Creator/RobinWilliams when director Peter Weir came on board. Creator/MelGibson was briefly attached, but his asking price was too high. Creator/DustinHoffman was offered the role of John Keating and the film would have been his directorial debut before he dropped out. Creator/MickeyRourke passed when Peter Weir refused to make script changes. Creator/AlecBaldwin, Creator/TomHanks, Creator/BillMurray and Creator/ChristopherReeve were also considered.
** Originally, Cameron was supposed to stand on his desk in the final scene like the rest of the Society. However, Dylan Kussman, the actor who portrayed him, felt that this would be [[OutOfCharacterMoment out of character]] and said so to Peter Weir. Weir agreed and so they changed it to Cameron remaining seated.
** One early idea was to have Keating be dying of leukemia during the course of the film. This was changed so the film could focus on the boys instead.

** Another early idea was for the students' passion to be ''dancing'' rather than poetry. In this case the film's title would be 'Sultans of Swing'.

* CreatorsFavorite: This was in fact Creator/RobinWilliams' favourite role. He'd win the Oscar for ''Film/GoodWillHunting'' and probably be best remembered for ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'', ''{{WesternAnimation/Aladdin}}'' or ''Film/GoodMorningVietnam''.

** At the premiere, Creator/KurtwoodSmith saw a family with the father domineering his son very much like his own character in the film. After the film, Smith noticed the family leaving and saw that the father was crying. If the father's tears were any indication, Neil's father presumably might have experienced a deeper grief over how he could have handled the situation better.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Downplayed. Creator/RobinWilliams used to tease Creator/EthanHawke on set for being so serious about the film and not relaxing like the other actors, which Hawke didn't appreciate. However, they patched things up after Williams encouraged his agent to sign Hawke and Hawke remains grateful towards Williams for helping his career get started.

* UsefulNotes/AFIS100YearsSeries:
** AFIS100Years100MovieQuotes:
*** #95, "Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary."
** AFIS100Years100Cheers: #52

* AFIS100YearsSeries:

** Creator/LiamNeeson had originally landed the leading role to be directed by Jeff Kanew, but lost it to Creator/RobinWilliams when director Peter Weir came on board. Creator/MelGibson was briefly attached, but his asking price was too high. Creator/DustinHoffman was offered the role of John Keating and the film would have been his directorial debut before he dropped out. Creator/MickeyRourke passed when Peter Weir refused to make script changes. Creator/AlecBaldwin, Creator/BillMurray and Creator/ChristopherReeve were also considered.

--> "Was there ever more than friendship between Neil and Todd?"
--> "Looking back, yes. Though Charlie’s has no confirmation if it was ever consummated. Some things Neil took with him. [[{{TearJerker}} And Todd never spoke about it."]]

* WordOfSaintPaul: Gale Hansen (who plays Charlie) admitted that in hindsight there was [[{{AmbigiouslyGay}} something between]] [[{{FanPreferredCouple}} Neil and Todd]], but none of the other characters knew if they acted on their feelings.

* AllThereInTheManual: Earlier scripts explained that Todd did not attend Welton from the beginning like the others because was initially denied admission. He had to attend another school until he could bring his grades up.
* ApprovalOfGod: Peter Weir gave his approval to the 1994 stage adaptation, and attended the opening night.

* CreatorBreakdown: Robin Williams was going through a divorce during filming and was unusually stoic between takes.

* DeletedRole: Future ''Series/TwinPeaks'' star Lara Flynn Boyle was cast in a bit part as Chet's sister Ginny, but all of her scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, save for a few scenes in which she is glimpsed as a non-speaking extra.

* HostilityOnTheSet: Downplayed. Robin Williams used to tease Ethan Hawke on set for being so serious about the film and not relaxing like the other actors, which Hawke didn't appreciate. However, they patched things up after Williams encouraged his agent to sign Hawke and Hawke remains grateful towards Williams for helping his career get started.
* IronyAsSheIsCast: Ethan Hawke struggled terribly in school, and actually dropped out of college once he got this role.
* MagnumOpusDissonance: This was in fact Robin Williams's favourite role. He'd win the Oscar for ''Film/GoodWillHunting'' and probably be best remembered for ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'', ''{{WesternAnimation/Aladdin}}'' or ''Film/GoodMorningVietnam''.

* MagnumOpusDissonance: This was in fact Robin Williams's favourite role. He'd win the Oscar for ''Film/GoodWillHunting'' and probably be best remembered for ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'', ''{{Disney/Aladdin}}'' or ''Film/GoodMorningVietnam''.

* WriteWhatYouKnow: Writer Charlie Schulman based the film on his experiences at the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, particularly with his inspirational teacher Samuel Pickering. After the film came out, some of his old school friends phoned him up to ask if any of the characters had been based on them.

** An earlier draft of the script included Ginny Danbury, Chet's sister and a friend of Chris's. Along with giving Chris more screentime, Ginny also had the role of Hermia in the play and the actress who played her, Lara Flynn Boyle, still appears in those scenes even though the scenes with her as Ginny were cut. Even though those scenes weren't technically necessary for the rest of the movie, it would've been nice for Chris to have a friend outside of her love triangle with Chet and Knox. There's even a hint at the character, when Chris mentions her to Knox at the party as if wanting to set them up.

** At the premiere, Creator/KurtwoodSmith saw a family with the father domineering his son very much like his own character in the film. After the film, Smith noticed the family leaving and saw that the father was crying. If the father's tears were any indication, Neil's father presumably might have experienced a deeper grief over how he could have tried to handle the situation better.

* CastTheExpert: The vicar seen in the film Simon Mein was the actual vicar of the school they filmed in.

* WriteWhatYouKnow: Writer Charlie Schulman based the film on his experiences at the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, particularly with his inspirational teacher Samuel Pickering.

** Creator/LiamNeeson had originally landed the leading role to be directed by Jeff Kanew, but lost it to Creator/RobinWilliams when director Peter Weir came on board. Creator/MelGibson was briefly attached, but his asking price was too high. Creator/DustinHoffman was offered the role of John Keating and the film would have been his directorial debut before he dropped out. Creator/MickeyRourke passed when Peter Weir refused to make script changes. Creator/AlecBaldwin and Creator/ChristopherReeve were also considered.

** Creator/LiamNeeson had originally landed the leading role to be directed by Jeff Kanew, but lost it to Creator/RobinWilliams when director Peter Weir came on board. Creator/MelGibson was briefly attached, but his asking price was too high.
** Creator/DustinHoffman was offered the role of John Keating and the film would have been his directorial debut before he dropped out. Creator/BillMurray was also considered, while Creator/MickeyRourke passed when Peter Weir refused to make script changes.

* DeletedRole: Lara Flynn Boyle as Ginny Dadbury.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Ethan Hawke struggling terribly in school, and actually dropped out of college once he got this role.