The Graduate (1967)

By Vince Man
August 02, 2006

Oh, what is a young lad to do when a forthright, sultry middle-aged woman comes tugging at his loins?

The Graduate, the 1967 film that shot Dustin Hoffman to fame, answers: the young man engages in an affair with the temptress, then sets out on a fanatical road trip to woo the temptress's daughter.

As odd as that may sound, this plot has been widely celebrated as the wittiest satire of its time. The claim reads true as Hoffman's Benjamin Braddock looks to stick it to the man every chance he gets. As a result, The Graduate is every much disturbing as it is comical.

Ben, a 20-year-old college graduate, returns home from the east coast. With the rest of his life ahead of him, he is terrified at the uncertainty it holds. One thing is for sure though, Ben aspires to not be anything like the average clean-cut, suburban California white boy, and thus, he rages against the machine.

First on his agenda is to conquer long-time family friend, Mrs. Robinson, played by the iconic Anne Bancroft.

Married to Ben's father's business partner, Mrs. Robinson is a house wife stuck in a life of monotony, routine and boredom. The backlash of being ignored in her domestic role prompts her to seduce Ben, albeit, initially unsuccessful. However, Ben ultimately comes to his senses and takes Mrs. Robinson up on her advances. Score!

The scenes leading up to this affair are what really make this film a classic. The dialogue can be described as cut and dry as a dead carcass in a desert, but its rapid pace and opposing personalities work. In one corner, you have the timid, inexperienced student, who is only going through the ordeal to resist a life of blandness. In the other corner, you have the seductive teacher, who will not stop pouncing at the fresh meat until she has tasted the succulent juices. Class is in session.

To put it mildly, Bancroft's performance steals the show. She not only commands your attention, but she also claims your heart as the world's first and foremost MILF (Mother I'd Like to "Follow"). She is every boy's fantasy, the true reason why The Graduate lives on. For a Hollywood actress to play this matter-of-fact character with such sophistication is a director's and a movie enthusiast's dream.

As they say though, all good things come to an end, and Ben needs to find more ways in which he could upset the fabric that is Americana. He falls in love with the Robinson's daughter, Elaine (Katherine Ross), which leads him to stalk her across the state.

After revealing that he had been sleeping with Mrs. Robinson, all hell breaks loose and Ben has to overcome insurmountable odds to attain the only thing he is sure he wants in his pathetic life - Elaine.

Entertainment 8/10

This rating is heavily weighted upon the first half of the film which is far superior to the second half. Had the entire movie been different accounts of Ben and Mrs. Robinson's sexual encounters I would have been content and given a higher rating in the entertainment portion. However, the plot continued with Ben stalking Elaine in Berkley, California. This divide, between the two halves of the movies is startling. It was as if I was watching two different movies that happened to be joined together because they had the same cast.

While in Berkley, the movie makes a turn for the worse, as it slows down to a screeching halt and becomes Michael Jackson disturbing. Yes, Michael Jackson is now an adjective...not that Ben has any affiliations with little boys, but his newest means of rebellion is to piss off the Robinsons and bamboozle his parents by showing up at Elaine's college campus, expecting her to greet him with open arms. Mind you, this is after he reveals to her that he repeatedly slept with her mother.

As comical as this movie really is, the dark humour is actually quite disturbing. Could this be why the world looks at Americans in disgust? Surely, a well-educated woman like Elaine Robinson would shun a psychopath like Benjamin Braddock. But just when I thought I figured it all out, I was duped again. Apparently, she has a thing for stalkers. Crazy Americans.

Innovation 6/10

The Graduate was definitely not a groundbreaker as far as innovation goes, however, director Mike Nichols comes up with a number of fantastic shots. For one, the scene where Ben dons the diving suit, there is a point-of-view sequence in which he appeases his family and friends by putting on a show. What kind of show is it? I'm still unsure, but I did tell you that this film has some disconcerting occurrences.

Mrs. Robinson's first attempt at seducing Ben is also another instant favourite scene of mine. Rapid cuts to the tight close-ups of her goods reflect the shock that Ben is in at the sight of a motherly figure stripping down to her birthday suit. Everything in this scene works and is simply hysterical.

Emotional Resonance 7/10

The only thing that hit me is how everyone is seemingly against Ben. Sure he's a troubled anti-hero, but you feel compelled to root for the underdog. Nearing the end of the film, the odds are stacked up against our playboy, as he tries to win Elaine over. Knowing all this, I didn't mind him using the cross to assault his opponents.

Social Context 9/10

As Ben demonstrates, not everything is so plain in suburban America. In fact, not everything is so clean-cut at all. Not him, nor is housewife Mrs. Robinson. The only thing more disturbing than Ben's stalking ways is the path he was laid out ahead of him by his parents. Having been suffocated by his parents' dreams and old school traditions for so long, it was no wonder Ben would eventually break out of this funk and go his own way.

Recall 8/10

This movie can be labeled a comedy, or even a fantasy to some. Speaking for myself, I'd probably call it a fantasy. But maybe that's because I really wouldn't have minded being in Ben's shoes when Mrs. Robinson was feeling a bit frisky.

Overall 76%

Yes, I did repeatedly mention that The Graduate is disturbing at times, but it's still a must-see, considering its strengths far outweigh most of its follies. Got MILF?

Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Mike Nichols
Producer: Lawrence Turman
Based on the Novel By: Charles Webb
Screenplay: Calder Willingham and Buck Henry
Director of Photography: Robert Surtees
Editor: Sam O'Steen
Music: Mike Deasy