great but often misunderstood film

Rating: 10/10 (25 May 2000)

Many people who saw The Graduate on its original release, including critics like Roger Ebert, have misinterpreted the main point of the film. Ben Braddock is NOT a hero that is supposed to glorify the rebellion of the 60s generation. The viewer is NOT supposed to stand up and cheer after the final scene. Ben is supposed to represent the confused state of a college graduate stuck in between youth and adulthood. As best depicted by the scene where he holds the hotel door open for both the elderly group and the younger group, he feels alienated from both generations. He does not want to hear the loud music of the car next to him at the drive-thru, nor is he interested in `plastics' or the materialistic pleasures of his parents.
He has no idea what he wants out of life, and only thinks that marrying Elaine will be the solution to this problem. As the last shot depicts (which may be the best final shot in film history), Ben only seems to be happy for a few seconds after he and Elaine get onto the bus with no money, no prospects, and no certain future. In fact, Nichols cleverly uses Paul Simon's Sound of Silence, and drowns out much of the background sound to show that Ben's is in the same position at the end of the film as he is at the beginning. He has not found what he really wants to get out of life and is as confused as ever. This scenario is not dated nor is it only appropriate for the 60s, it can apply to anyone who is lost or has no idea what to do with his or her lives.
Nichols' brilliant direction reinforces the complex exploration of confusion and uncertainty. The flow of shots after he first sleeps with Mrs. Robinson is incredible, as is his use of the swimming pool to enforce his entrapment. He effortlessly switches in and out of focus at different depths of each shot to emphasize certain characters and dialogue. It goes without saying that the performances by Hoffman and Bancroft are first-rate. Add Paul Simon's haunting Sound of Silence, Scarborough Fair, and the instrumentals of what would become Mrs. Robinson, and you have songs and images that downright haunting. As a recent college graduate who was not even born in the 60s, I can say that this film has not dated, and is deserving of its #7 ranking by the American Film Institute.