Down with the Code!

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2012)

The Graduate is a near-perfect example of a New Hollywood film. Physically speaking, the movie employs mostly-traditional techniques and is beautifully shot and edited. There are some scenes that could be considered innovative, such as that which depicts Benjamin's underwater view. The acting is superb and the dialogue is (mostly) realistic, which I have found to be a bit more common in films issued in the New Hollywood era. What truly makes The Graduate a decidedly New Hollywood (post-Hayes-Code) movie is its lewd content. It's safe to say that the on-screen relationship between Ben and Mrs. Robinson would have been a bit too much had the film been made just a few years earlier. Finally, what I think allows the Graduate to maintain relevance and bridge generational gaps is its themes, which among others include the youthful struggle for identity.