Dead Poets Society
Updated: 12/11/2025, 9:25:38 AM Wikipedia source
Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman. The film, starring Robin Williams, is set in 1959 at a fictional elite boarding school called Welton Academy, and tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry. Dead Poets Society was produced by Touchstone Pictures and Silver Screen Partners IV and released in the United States by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution on June 2, 1989. The film was a commercial success and received critical acclaim. It grossed $235.9 million worldwide against a $16.4 million budget, and became the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1989. The film received numerous accolades, including Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, as well as a Best Actor nomination for Williams. The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Film, the César Award for Best Foreign Film and the David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Film. Schulman received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his work.
Infobox
Directed by
Peter Weir
Written by
Tom Schulman
Produced by
mw- Steven Haft Paul Junger Witt Tony Thomas
Starring
Robin Williams
Cinematography
John Seale
Edited by
William Anderson
Music by
Maurice Jarre
Productioncompanies
Touchstone Pictures Silver Screen Partners IV
Distributed by
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date
June 2, 1989 (1989-06-02)
Running time
128 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$16.4 million
Box office
$235.9 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee(s)
Steven Haft, Paul Junger Witt, and Tony Thomas
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Peter Weir
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Robin Williams
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Award
Best Original Screenplay
Category
Tom Schulman
Nominee(s)
Won
Argentine Film Critics Association Awards
Argentine Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Argentine Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Nominated
Artios Awards
Artios Awards
Award
Artios Awards
Category
Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama
Nominee(s)
Howard Feuer
Result
Won
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
Award
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
Category
Top Box Office Films
Nominee(s)
Maurice Jarre
Result
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Steven Haft, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas, and Peter Weir
Result
Won
Best Direction
Best Direction
Award
Best Direction
Category
Peter Weir
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Award
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Category
Robin Williams
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay – Original
Best Screenplay – Original
Award
Best Screenplay – Original
Category
Tom Schulman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Editing
Best Editing
Award
Best Editing
Category
William M. Anderson
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Film Score
Best Original Film Score
Award
Best Original Film Score
Category
Maurice Jarre
Nominee(s)
Won
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Award
British Society of Cinematographers Awards
Category
Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film
Nominee(s)
John Seale
Result
Nominated
César Awards
César Awards
Award
César Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Most Promising Actor
Nominee(s)
Robert Sean Leonard
Result
Nominated
David di Donatello Awards
David di Donatello Awards
Award
David di Donatello Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Won
Best Foreign Director
Best Foreign Director
Award
Best Foreign Director
Category
Nominated
Best Foreign Actor
Best Foreign Actor
Award
Best Foreign Actor
Category
Robin Williams
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Nominated
Golden Ciak Awards
Golden Ciak Awards
Award
Golden Ciak Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Robin Williams
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Director – Motion Picture
Best Director – Motion Picture
Award
Best Director – Motion Picture
Category
Peter Weir
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Award
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Category
Tom Schulman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Golden Screen Awards
Golden Screen Awards
Award
Golden Screen Awards
Category
Won
Joseph Plateau Awards
Joseph Plateau Awards
Award
Joseph Plateau Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Jupiter Awards
Jupiter Awards
Award
Jupiter Awards
Category
Best International Film
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Won
Best International Actor
Best International Actor
Award
Best International Actor
Category
Robin Williams
Nominee(s)
Won
Nastro d'Argento
Nastro d'Argento
Award
Nastro d'Argento
Category
Best Foreign Director
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Won
National Board of Review Awards
National Board of Review Awards
Award
National Board of Review Awards
Category
Top Ten Films
Nominee(s)
6th Place
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Award
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Category
Film Hall of Fame: Productions
Nominee(s)
Inducted
Political Film Society Awards
Political Film Society Awards
Award
Political Film Society Awards
Category
Democracy
Nominee(s)
Won
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
6th Place
Warsaw Film Festival
Warsaw Film Festival
Award
Warsaw Film Festival
Category
Audience Award
Nominee(s)
Peter Weir
Result
Won
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen
Nominee(s)
Tom Schulman
Result
Nominated
Young Artist Awards
Young Artist Awards
Award
Young Artist Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Steven Haft, Paul Junger Witt, and Tony Thomas | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Peter Weir | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Robin Williams | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Screenplay | Tom Schulman | Won | ||
| Argentine Film Critics Association Awards | Best Foreign Film | Peter Weir | Nominated | |
| Artios Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Drama | Howard Feuer | Won | |
| ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards | Top Box Office Films | Maurice Jarre | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Steven Haft, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas, and Peter Weir | Won | |
| Best Direction | Peter Weir | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Leading Role | Robin Williams | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay – Original | Tom Schulman | Nominated | ||
| Best Editing | William M. Anderson | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Film Score | Maurice Jarre | Won | ||
| British Society of Cinematographers Awards | Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film | John Seale | Nominated | |
| César Awards | Best Foreign Film | Peter Weir | Won | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Most Promising Actor | Robert Sean Leonard | Nominated | |
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Film | Peter Weir | Won | |
| Best Foreign Director | Nominated | |||
| Best Foreign Actor | Robin Williams | Nominated | ||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Peter Weir | Nominated | |
| Golden Ciak Awards | Best Foreign Film | Peter Weir | Won | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Robin Williams | Nominated | ||
| Best Director – Motion Picture | Peter Weir | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Tom Schulman | Nominated | ||
| Golden Screen Awards | Won | |||
| Joseph Plateau Awards | Best Foreign Film | Won | ||
| Jupiter Awards | Best International Film | Peter Weir | Won | |
| Best International Actor | Robin Williams | Won | ||
| Nastro d'Argento | Best Foreign Director | Peter Weir | Won | |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | 6th Place | ||
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Film Hall of Fame: Productions | Inducted | ||
| Political Film Society Awards | Democracy | Won | ||
| Turkish Film Critics Association Awards | Best Foreign Film | 6th Place | ||
| Warsaw Film Festival | Audience Award | Peter Weir | Won | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen | Tom Schulman | Nominated | |
| Young Artist Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Won | ||
· External links
Preceded byDangerous Liaisons
Preceded byDangerous Liaisons
Awards and achievements
Preceded byDangerous Liaisons
Awards and achievements
César Award for Best Foreign Film 1991
Awards and achievements
Succeeded byToto the Hero (Toto le héros)
| Awards and achievements | ||
| Preceded byDangerous Liaisons | César Award for Best Foreign Film 1991 | Succeeded byToto the Hero (Toto le héros) |
References
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- The Numbershttps://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dead-Poets-Society#tab=summary
- Box Office Mojohttp://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=deadpoetssociety.htm
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- Fast Times and Excellent Adventures
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- Chicago Tribunehttps://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/180216863/
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- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28756375
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- ginny danburry scenepac dead poets society (1989)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY1LN0fNh1c
- Dead Poets Societyhttps://archive.org/details/deadpoetssociety00klei
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- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/17/theater/jason-sudeikis-to-star-in-stage-version-of-dead-poets-society.html
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