The Graduate (1967)

Mike Nichols’ fun romp thru the 60s hasn’t aged well. It made a huge splash when it was released catapulting Dustin Hoffman to stardom, but the issues addressed now appear dated. Nevertheless, there are some good things in this movie, things to like.

You got to like Dustin Hoffman in his first role as Benjamin Braddock the nerdy graduate at loose ends of what to do with his life.

Anne Bancroft as the sluttish, worldly Mrs. Robinson who, wise as a snake, succeeds in seducing the flustered Ben after numerous fruitless attempts simply by saying "I know it’s your first time". Ben is immediately stung into proving it’s not his first time.

But make no mistake, Anne does the heavy lifting in this movie, not Dustin. Her sleazy demeanor and leopard print/black undies convincingly convey the jaded suburban strumpet who wants to blow her mind with mindless sex, while Ben merely sleepwalks through his performance. But why with Ben, a nerd? Far from being a rebel, Ben would be more at home with a pocket protector than a nickel bag.

TV familiar faces William Daniels and Murray Hamilton play Ben’s dad and the cuckold Mr. Robinson, respectively. They do well within the limited scope of their parts.

Soundtrack by Simon & Garfunkel has its moments but gets old after hearing the fifth reprise of Mrs. Robinson. It is much better to hear the songs on the stereo than to see them as the backdrop for the movie, in my opinion. The songs really do not go with the scenes.

Trendy camera tricks abound, showing close-ups of Ben’s face in a certain setting and then when the camera unblinkingly pulls back he is in another setting. Mrs. Robinson’s curvy, nylon-stockinged leg serves as a frame for Ben in a number of shots, but this comes across as a campy cheap effect. Similarly, the quick cuts between the nekkid Mrs. Robinson’s face and her lower body simulating Ben’s furtive ogling look cheap and hokey. Vaguely this looks like perhaps an attempt at subliminal imagery, which was pop psychology around that time.

The movie is about sex. Womb metaphors abound. Ben dives into the water and lands atop Mrs. Robinson in bed. Ben spends a lot of his time in the pool, aimlessly floating. Hip level shots of the grrls advancing and retreating. You get the idea.

The jokes are OK, the line about plastics is the classic, but they are dated and trite by today's standards.

Delectable Katharine Ross is just eye-candy, plain and simple. Her part does not seem to require a lot of engagement, neither does she provide any.

This film is a good one to see because there is a lot of hoopla about it. Once you have seen it, apart from the pluses I mentioned, I think you will agree it is an adequate piece of cinema, not a great one.



Recommended: Yes