Director: Mike Nichols
Original Release: 1967
Choice: Mine
My Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5
 |
| via Wikipedia |
The Graduate is a genuine film classic, if only for the fact that it was the breakthrough performance for Dustin Hoffman, arguably the premier dramatic actor of his generation (relax De Niro fans - I like your guy, too). But the movie is so much more than that, a beautifully shot work that won Mike Nichols his only Best Director Oscar. Benjamin Braddock (Hoffman) has just graduated from college on the East Coast and comes home to California, not quite sure of his next step. His parents and their friends have plenty of advice. Partly out of boredom, Ben starts an affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), wife of one of his father's business partners. Things get really interesting when Ben meets his lover's daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross), and falls in love with her.
The story of a cross-generational romantic triangle is definitely on the risque side, though probably less so now than it was 47 years ago. The lightning-quick shots of Mrs. Robinson's naked breasts were surprising to our 10-year-old girl but no long-term damage, I expect. The film is officially PG, though only because the PG-13 rating didn't exist in 1967. I first watched the movie when I was in high school and can say with certainty that seeing it in a later stage of life is an entirely different experience (have I mentioned Friday's bloghop?). I wouldn't say I switched allegiances from Ben to Mrs. Robinson as critic Roger Ebert claimed he did but I certainly appreciate more of the film's subtle humor now.
I give the film a 3 because I really don't feel I need to watch it again. There are moments of undeniable genius in The Graduate but slow pacing late in the story detracts a bit. However, it seems only inevitable that I will watch the movie again some day. It just pops up from time to time.
As for music, the song most closely identified with The Graduate is "Mrs. Robinson." Paul Simon's original title was "Mrs. Roosevelt" but he changed it to suit the film. Interestingly, the entire song is never played during the movie - no verses at all, only the chorus and a wonderful instrumental reduction. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't listen to the whole thing here...
"The Sounds of Silence," "April Comes She Will" and "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" also feature prominently.
I remember the excitement of film, going to see it at the theater with a girlfriend and feeling a definite connection with Benjamin's ambivalence towards a future in "plastics" or "something...different". It had great humor and some suspense as well as a great musical track, all of which culminated in a wonderful shot of the rear end of a city bus bouncing away from a church. Film didn't really have an end --not the sort we were used to-- and I liked that. Still do!
ReplyDeleteOne is definitely left wondering what happened for Ben and Elaine. The original novelist did write a sequel entitled Home School but it's never been published.
DeleteI wonder what your ten year old thought of the movie. Not sure she would really get a lot of it, although maybe kids are more advanced than I was at that age (pretty sure they are).
ReplyDeletemood
Moody Writing
She asked a lot of questions as we watched. She's definitely on the innocent side, for which I am grateful. I wouldn't say she understood too much. I'm not sure how much I really got the first time I watched and I was late teens at the youngest. Life experience definitely helps.
DeleteI've never seen it, and in truth I'm not really all that interested. I like Hoffman as an actor, although I wonder if he's better savored in an older vintage.
ReplyDeleteI will say, I do think it's a movie everyone should see at some point. It laid the groundwork for many coming-of-age tales to follow. By 21st century standards, it's downright minimalist.
ReplyDeleteThe whole premise of this film makes me wildly uncomfortable. Not so much the December-May relationship as much as the intergenerational triangle. *Shudder.*
ReplyDeleteGranted, I have never seen the film. I don't even know how many years separate December from May in this case. But mixing in the December's daughter variable and I'm all heebie jeebied out.
As I recall, the tension was somewhat eased because Anne Bancroft was really only 6 years older than Hoffman --but she was very convincing as a cougar.
DeleteWell, yes... The discomfort is intended, of course. I like the December-May analogy, though to be fair it was closer to September-April. Another change from watching it when I was younger: it's no stretch at all to see the 36-year-old Anne Bancroft as a desirable woman. She was beautiful her whole life.
DeleteNo, see that's what I'm saying. The December-May relationship doesn't trouble me. And six years, pfft. Nothing. One of my good friends is married to a man twelve years her junior. It's the guy being with both the mother and the daughter that inspires shudders.
DeleteCougar is not a very nice term, btw. :)
Yes, I understand. My wife's older than I. It's the triangle that's awkward. But it's supposed to be. Boring movie without it.
DeleteHow much older? (If I may be so bold.)
Delete5 years.
DeleteSuze, please excuse me the use of the term; it was applied to the character of 'Mrs.Robinson', not the young woman who portrayed her.
DeleteCuriosity led me to Wikipedia (it often does). The term cougar has its origins in Vancouver and first appeared in print on a Canadian dating website.
DeletePeople talking without speaking...... loved the move and the song.
ReplyDeleteI think the songs are the best part of the movie, actually.
Delete