The Graduate- an impulsive love story

Rating: Null/10 (10 January 2001)

The film `The Graduate' which is based on the novel with the same title by Charles Webb is the result of an excellent work of Mike Nichols. Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a well educated and brilliant graduate is fed up with his parents' lifestyle. He wants to change his life and starts an affair with Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft), a friend of the Braddocks. In the beginning he enjoys his new experiences, but when he gets to know Mrs Robinson's daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross), further problems arise. Ben and Elaine fall in love with each other, but soon she finds out, that he has had an affair with her mother. First it seems as if their love, that is now objected by Elaine's parents, too, is chanceless, but in the end Ben can convince Elaine of their true love.
The director Mike Nichols succeeds in enacting the emotions and purposes of the protagonists in a genuine way, which is among other things supported by the well-chosen and fittingly deployed soundtrack (Sound of Silence & Scarborough Fair, performed by Paul Simon). Humorous scenes, that are remarkable for their clever camera movements and -positions and funny dialogues entertain the audience. Nichols proves with such comic effects, which are acted by Dustin Hoffman in a marvellous way, that he is a skilled director. The presumably best known part of the film is the spectacular ending. When the problems reach their climax, the happy ending, which the audience nearly does not expect any more, is presented in a dramatical way. In this way Nichols achieves that the tension lasts to the end. Therefore it is no surprise that his love story from the 60s was awarded #7 in the ranks of the American Film Institute and the director an Oscar thanks to his brilliant work.
`The Graduate' fascinates with its variety of great shots, excellent gags and the perfect work of the main actors.