unfamiliar scandalousness

Rating: Null/10 (9 May 2014)

The Graduate represents an important time for Hollywood. With a new-era of Hollywood production (no studio monopolies) and the Hayes Code a thing of the past a drastic change in film subject matter was inevitable. In my opinion, the graduate probably exceeded the expectation of what viewers thought they were in for. The movie is about a shy, awkward, confused college graduate (Ben) who winds up in an entangled affair with the older wife of his fathers business partner (Mrs. Robinson). Later after a date with the women's daughter Ben beings to think it is her who he wants to spend the rest of his life with. When Mrs. Robinson is told this she threatens to expose the affair, so Ben goes and beats her to it causing a less then favorable outcome for himself. Despite the daughters newfound hatred he purses her anyway and it seems she is almost falling for him. In light of this the Robinson's attempt to rush her into marriage with another male friend of hers. Ben breaks the wedding up and leaves with the daughter. As far as the films significance for Hollywood it marked an era of film that would deviate from the Hayes Code style films immensely. The idea that a young man would have an affair with a mother and fall in love with her daughter, and viewers could see all the details transpire was very unnatural with regard to past films. Notably Ben and Mrs. Robinson are featured nude in bed together several times. At one point in the film an up close image of Mrs. Robinson's exposed breast is shown. These type of scenes and the subject matter indicated the change in films that was going to ensue. In addition the film does have a more traditional social significance. As confused young Ben pursues different love affairs that are based purely on lust he starts to loose his ability to think rationally. When the daughter expresses her undesirable opinion of him it simply drives him to want her more. He moves to her college town and essentially stalks her and begins to almost force her to consider liking him. When she is to be married Ben drives cross country to break up the wedding. Up to this point all of his actions had been out of lust. When he breaks up the wedding the daughter leaves with him the last scene features them sitting on a bus with a sort of unsure look on their faces. It is as if they are both realizing they weren't acting out of true love. The social significance this illustrates is the dangers of pursuing actions based on lust.