Landmark Late 60s Film

Rating: 8/10 (21 April 2009)

Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin appears in closeup in the opening shot of the first scene. He continues to be in every scene till the end. It reminded me of Audrey Hepburn's Princess in "Roman Holiday" and Vivien Leigh as Scarlett in "GWTW." The device is, get the viewer involved in the main character and follow him/her through the drama.
In this case, it certainly worked. Even though Ben isn't the nice, straight-laced lad we might have thought in the beginning, he's there occupying our attention from start to finish. During the course, he's seen doing some morally dubious things. At one point Mr. Robinson calls him "filth, scum," and "a degenerate." That's a pretty strong indictment for a hero, and in fact he becomes an instant anti-hero, once his character is given verbal definition.
While the film can't quite make up its mind whether it's a drama, satire, social commentary or comedy, it gives the impression it knows what it's about. Ben's sulking matches the wistfulness of the Simon-Garfunkel songs, and the whole enterprise is kept alive by brilliant acting, directing, photography, and editing.
Anne Bancroft made Mrs. Robinson her own; Hoffman became an instant star; Katherine Ross was in fine form as well. Mike Nichols' work was constantly inventive and striking.
Viewed today after many years, the film remains engaging; still, to me it seems to rather lack a heart and soul. It's neither negative nor positive, just sort of neutral, not amounting to much in the total scheme of things, yet an engrossing diversion of times past.
Though "plastics" are still very much with us.