The
time is 1967 and at this time, this is seen as a controversial film. In
this blogpost, I will review the plot and then give a critique of the movie.
Investigating styles of shots and the reasons they were created in such a way
that it takes the viewer into the main characters mindset. Ending with why this
is viewed as controversial.
The
Graduate starring Dustin
Hoffman, Anne Bancroft,
and Katharine
Ross is about exactly that, about a young man graduating from
college. One who really is unsure of where life will lead him. What the future
might have in store and some unknown struggles or predicaments it may contain. He
has parents that are apparently upper middle class, who dote on him with many
friends in the community. You notice his parents pushing him for the same goals
as theirs but Benjamin really wants to create something different with his
life. He ends up being seduced by a woman, Mrs. Robinson, who is the wife of his
father’s business partner. He was reluctant at first but gives in to her
persistence. Upon the request of his father and Mr. Robinson, he is rather
forced to date the Robinson’s daughter, Elaine. Mrs. Robinson is extremely
jealous of this union and Benjamin tries to treat Elaine rudely so she does not
become interested in him as not to cause upset in the family. He finds
something refreshing about Elaine and decides to end his affair with her mother
and date Elaine. Mrs. Robinson being the possessive woman decides to threaten
to tell Elaine everything but before she could, Benjamin hides nothing from
Elaine. Upset, Elaine returns to college and tires to forget about Benjamin.
Meanwhile Benjamin moves to the same town as Elaine and tends to stalk her
until one day on the bus knowing she is semi trapped, he confronts her. She is
on the way to meet her current boyfriend and Benjamin goes along with her to
check out his competition. Elaine realizes she does still have feelings for
Benjamin, despite the past. She then confronts him on the raping of her mother.
He explains he was seduced and he did not rape her. Elaine’s feelings for him
win her over and she gives him a second chance. He decides they need to get
married before anything else happens. He proceeds with making all the plans
until he gets a visit from Mr. Robinson. Mr. Robinson forbids the two to ever
see one another again and threatens to prosecute Benjamin for his past actions.
Mr. Robinson takes his daughter out of school and convinces her to wed her
previous boyfriend. Benjamin takes matters into his own hands once again and
decides to take Elaine away so they can be happy but he ends up finding out
about the immediate wedding and desperately tries to stop it. He gets there as
the bride and groom are kissing and screams for Elaine, she turns and realizes
the mistake her wedding is and runs off with Benjamin.
I
have seen this movie before, a long time ago. This time I watched with a more
critical eye and saw shots by the cameras that I had not noticed before or took
for granted. In the opening shot you see a young man who has a blank stare
along with the music score, which is, The Sound of Silence playing “Hello
Darkness, My old Friend” it seems as though he lost in his thoughts,
contemplating his future. As we move into the movie, you find out about his
graduation from college and he does not wish to live the life of his parents
and their friends. He wants to brood alone in his room but his parents planned
a huge party including all their friends, but none of his. He tries escaping
this scene several times buts to no avail has no luck. Just when he thinks he
has done it, Mrs. Robinson walks into his room and demands he drive her home. This
is just the beginning of a messed up relationship and the turmoil it causes.
She lures him into her home under false pretenses, like a spider preying upon
its next victim. She tries seducing him but he is utterly appalled and
intrigued at the same time. Luckily, Mr. Robinson arrived home and saved him
from the embarrassing situation. The next sequence shows his 21st birthday
party and you feel his anguish at the party through the actions that follow.
His father gives him a wetsuit and diving gear, which you enter into his
atmosphere the camera shoots looking through the mask, hearing his breath, and the
viewer totally experiences what he is experiencing. At last, I believe it is the
silence he has be searching for. His adventures that follow change his life
forever, hooking up with Mrs. Robinson. The director makes you feel his
uneasiness starting this affair. The interaction with the hotel staff, his walk
down the silent corridor to the infamous room where the deceit all takes place.
This too is where you find out he is still a virgin which only adds to his
awkwardness. Next scene you see him basking in the sun, leaving you with his
feeling of accomplishment. After months of secret encounters, he confronts Mrs.
Robinson with needing a bit more than just the affair; some polite conversation
is all he is looking for. He finds out some little known facts about the
Robinson’s marriage and Elaine Robinson, The Robinson’s daughter who is close
to his own age instead of twice that of her mother. His father insists he take
Elaine out while she is home from school as a nice gesture. In light of a
future awkward situation of having the whole Robinson family at his parents
house for dinner he asks Elaine on a date. Arriving to pick her up he tries to
calm things with Mrs. Robinson who prohibited him to date her daughter. She is
being apparently very jealous of the whole situation. Therefore, his thoughts
were to proceed being a total jerk to repel Elaine with any future thoughts of dating
him. He ends up really liking her and plans a second date, which has definite
interference from Mrs. Robinson. She threatens to expose him but before she can
do so he comes clean to Elaine, shattering any hope he has with a future
together with her. The next shot after the Elaine screaming in disappointment
and disapproval you see Mrs. Robinson in disbelief crouching in a corner of the
hall, not believing what he had done, she says “Goodbye Benjamin”. You totally
feel both their pain. He comes up with this delusion that he is going to marry
Elaine, even announcing it to his parents. Of course they are delighted with
the news. Elaine ended up going back to school and he decides to stalk her to
see if he can win her back. He finally confronts her and she tells him she is
meeting her boyfriend at the zoo. Benjamin decides to go with her to the zoo
and the screen shots after meeting the boyfriend and Benjamin watching them
walk arm in arm away from him, the camera pans to two chimps rocking back and
forth and a gorilla that possibly emulate his mix of feelings. She ends up
confronting him with the news that her mother ended up telling her that
Benjamin raped her, not that actually Mrs. Robinson did all the seducing. After
this meeting he finds Elaine still has strong feelings for him, which changes
his world. He starts making plans for their upcoming nuptials and is moving
swiftly before she changes his plans or anything else interferes. Unfortunately
Mr. Robinson is the inference that happens as he too was told about the dreaded
affair between his wife and Benjamin. He forbids any contact between Elaine and
Benjamin. Being desperate to hold on to any connection he has rebuilt with
Elaine he searches for her, but only finds a farewell note in the end. He ends
up breaking into the Robinson’s house looking for Elaine only to find Mrs.
Robinson who reveals that they have pushed Elaine into marring that boyfriend
Benjamin had met at the zoo. He frantically tries to find out where the wedding
is to be and stop it before it is all too late and he loses Elaine forever. He
finally finds the church, having to break in to the second floor you find
Benjamin taking in the finality of the event. He is grief stricken and screams
“ELAINE ELAINE ELAINE!” with all the will he can muster. Elaine still has the
same love for him and she lets out a wailing “BEN”, this causes a huge ruckus
at the church. Benjamin’s uses a cross taken off the wall to stop them from
following the couple and she and Ben run off together despite whatever the
family wants. They discover what they want is the most important thing for
them. In the last shots though you see Ben with the same look as in the beginning
of the movie maybe wandering if he figured anything out.
In
the 60s, it was not common to discuss bored housewives dating young men half
their age. The movie does show what the 60s were about rebelling against
conformity. Young people not wanting their parent’s views of life to be their
own views. They wanted to change the world. End the war, change political
thoughts and policies. Unfortunately, many of young people ending up doing what
they knew best and eventually followed that same path as their parents.
Works
Cited
Webb, Charles. The Graduate. Henry, Buck. Willingham,
Calder. Screenplay. Nichols, Mike. Director. Film. n.d.1967
