Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson

Rating: 8/10 (5 November 2009)

"The Graduate" is generally considered one of the finest American films of all time. Originally released in 1967, it was one of the key films that heralded a changing of the guard in American cinema.
The story concerns a recent college graduate (Dustin Hoffman) who begins an affair with the wife of his father's business partner (Anne Bancroft). Even if you haven't seen the film before you've probably seen parodies of some of the film's best-remembered moments, such as "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me", "Plastics" and the climactic wedding scene.
Yet, when I first watched the film I wasn't really that impressed, possibly because of my prior familiarity with the film through it's references in pop culture. It took a second viewing at a later date to convince me of the film's merit.
The cast is well chosen, with Dustin Hoffman & Anne Bancroft perfect in their roles. They were able to make their characters believable even though there was actually only a six year difference in their ages. Katharine Ross isn't bad but not in the same league as Hoffman & Bancroft. Besides the leads there are also some memorable performances in smaller roles from the likes of William Daniels, Norman Fell & Buck Henry.
Mike Nichols's direction is top notch and displays many interesting touches throughout the film. He was a deserving winner of the Best Director Oscar (the film's only win out of seven nominations). Nichols also makes excellent use of the music of Simon & Garfunkel, including "The Sounds of Silence" & "Scarborough Fair/Canticle".
In my opinion, "The Graduate" is an essential film. If for no other reason, see it so that you'll 'get' the numerous references to the film in popular culture.