Film Review: The Graduate

About The Graduate (1967) Mike Nichols directs this 1960s comedy drama starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross. After graduating from college, Ben Braddock (Hoffman) returns to his wealthy parents’ South Californian home unsure of what he wants to do next. Feeling pressurised to get on with his life, the young Braddock escapes into an aimless affair with Mrs Robinson (Bancroft), an older, married woman and friend of the family. The pair meet regularly, with neither expecting anything serious from the relationship, but this seemingly simple situation becomes complicated when Ben meets and begins dating Elaine (Ross) – Mrs Robinson’s daughter. Featuring a score written by Paul Simon and performed by Simon and Garfunkel, the film was nominated for six Oscars and won for Best Director.

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, William Daniels, Murray Hamilton

Directed by: Mike Nichols

Runtime: 101 minutes

Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment

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Review: The Graduate

Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) isn’t having a nice time when he flies home to Los Angeles after graduating from college. His parents and a large group of family friends are all eager to know of his future plans but Benjamin isn’t ready to think about that and becomes increasingly withdrawn. Hiding in his room during a family party he is interrupted by Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft) whose husband (Murray Hamilton) is a law partner of Benjamin’s father (William Daniels). Benjamin agrees to drive Mrs Robinson home and despite his best efforts to leave she lures him inside and proceeds to offer herself to him whenever he wishes. Initially horrified, Benjamin later takes Mrs Robinson up on the offer and they begin an affair.

Suddenly a summer in Los Angeles becomes pleasant for Benjamin, divided between sunbathing by the family pool and sneaking off to a hotel to sleep with Mrs Robinson. However, problems mount when Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) comes home from college. Mrs Robinson warns Benjamin not to take her daughter out on a date but he is more or less forced into it by his father. Although Benjamin is initially cold towards Elaine he soon finds himself falling for her. This obviously puts Benjamin in an awkward quandary. Does he defy Mrs Robinson and pursue Elaine, or does he forsake a potential future with Elaine to continue his affair with her mother?

The Graduate is one of those films you know so much about even without seeing it. I pretty much knew the entire plot but none of it hindered the experience. This was my first viewing and I was certainly not disappointed. Hoffman is great in the lead as the withdrawn and nervous Benjamin, while Bancroft is delightful as the sexy and forceful Mrs Robinson. The acting and the script are all great but the film is enhanced even further by the wonderful soundtrack from Simon and Garfunkel. Mrs Robinson, April Come She Will, Scarborough Fair and The Sound of Silence all feature but it is the latter that is the most evocative, capturing the forlorn and lost Benjamin at key moments in the film, especially that opening scene when he leaves the plane and makes his way through the airport. 

From start to finish, The Graduate is funny, well-acted and has many memorable moments. Many of the quotes from the witty script will be familiar even if you haven’t seen the film, while the ambiguity of the end scene on that bus only adds to the overall mystique of this classic sixties comedy. Fantastic.

Verdict: 5/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

About the Author:

I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.

David M. Brown – who has written 802 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.

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