A film that still holds up thirty-six years later, though not to the fullest extent it's hyped to be

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 2003)

The Graduate, when released in 1967 (i.e. Summer of Love 1967), was a stirring, hugely entertaining event for the generation that embraced sex, drugs, rock and roll, more sex, more drugs, and then, for the most part, became what the parents wanted Benjamin to be. That's the only reason The Graduate doesn't hold up like Easy Rider, Bonnie and Clyde, or Five Easy Pieces- Dustin Hoffman's Benjamin Braddock, while as keen and funny an uneasy and unsure young man can get, isn't exactly a representation of a time capsule of the angst, rebellion, and freedom of characters like Wyatt and Billy or Robert Dupea. He's more of a representation of the common suburbanite male , who feels all the pressure of parents and their friends, and is in the conflicts of love, lust, and livelihood. It's questionable whether or not Benjamin would leave the comfort of the pool he dwells in for free-love concerts and LSD.
And yet, Oscar winning director Mike Nichols realizes that the story of the torn young man is prime for certain experimentation, not only in the dialog and mannerisms of his actors (which, especially from Hoffman, are hilarious), but from the techniques he uses in Robert Surtees' camera-work and Sam O'Steen's editing tricks. Most notable of these techniques are the following: the subliminal nudity when Mrs. Robinson first "reveals" herself to Benjamin, the mis-en-scene/positions of the characters in certain scenes and moments (i.e. when Elaine finds out about the affair and Mrs. Robinson says "Goodbye, Benjamin", look how the camera pulls back on her and how she's a complete 180 from how she was in the first seduction); a jump cut from a swim in the pool to a moment in bed that's up there on the list with the bone turning into the ship in 2001; the way the over-head shots on Benjamin when he's at the college how he seems dwarfed among the rest of the world; and one of the finest climaxes of the sixties with the quick close ups of the attendees mouthing their curses and slander at the frantic Benjamin on the window. As a film in and of itself, there's much to look for in repeat viewings that give extra hints on some emotions or intentions from the director or writer.
And then there are the performances. Hoffman, as mentioned, is splendid in how he balances between stingy and awkward, scared and determined, and that he's the center-point in a largely first person (late) coming of age tale. And his counterpart for nearly half of the movie, Anne Bancroft's Mrs. Robinson, has a balancing act of her own- she can be alluring, demanding, sweet (with a vodka in hand), and sour, and in that sense she's the most fascinating character of the film. She has the persona of a stern mother who's wanting to feel a little rebellious herself, and finds moments of relief with the son of her best friends. The one performance that doesn't work today or back in the day for that matter, however, is Katharine Ross' Elaine Robinson. While she's not like her mother, she is at her will before and after she finds out about a secret she's been hiding. She's set to marry a blonde jock, and, until the climax, is like a puppet. It's the least convincing character and performance of the lot, and a certain scream she has in a scene is a little too scathing for comfort. Murray Hamilton (of Jaws fame), for the short amount of time he's on screen, is near impecable.
So, would I reccommend The Graduate for younger audiences? Yes I would, it has the classic comedy-of-manners that is instantly recognizable, in particular as an influence on the American Pie movies (coincidentally, Jason Biggs portrayed Benjamin on Broadway), and is a good starter for those who have an interest in what the old man and old lady were watching when cool was solid. Would I reccommend it for those from the generation that cherished it and made it part of American film history? Hard to say and here's why, some may wonder why they enjoyed it so much when the characters may have lost their "edge", and others will love it as much as they did when it first premiered. I'd say it's worth the view, if only for the wedding scene, and for those three little diddies by Simon and Garfunkel. Grade: A (like a 93 or 94)