#65 The Graduate

Genre: drama

Director: Mike Nichols

Writer: Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, based on 'The Graduate' by Charles Webb

Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross

Music by: score by Dave Grusin; songs by Paul Simon, performed by Simon and Garfunkel

Duration: approximately 6,300 seconds

Wikipedia: wiki about the movie

The transition from youth to adult is a burden that many have yet to experience and others yet to forget.

For Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), it's imminent. Thrust into the spotlight at his graduation party filled with his parents' friends, they are all keen to know which rut he intends to lodge his life into. He doesn't know it then, but he's about to take a leap into the unknown, and it's our privilege to share in the resulting masterful mix of wit and drama that is 'The Graduate'.

The catalyst of his sexual liberation is Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft). As a friend of his parents she should be no more than a boring distraction to him. She sees in him a boundless youthful passion that she can draw upon to make up for her husband's inadequacies. "Would you mind walking ahead of me?" she purrs, as Ben reluctantly escorts her home from the party. He stumbles ahead, totally unprepared for the bedroom she traps him in, with the killer question, "Would you like me to seduce you?"

As it turns out, not quite yet thank you very much, but his resistance is to prove futile and once broken, he's all too keen to continue their fling. That is until he meets Mrs Robinson's daughter (Katharine Ross), and then everything suddenly becomes very complicated.

For the actors, this set-up brings out tantalising performances that can only be rivalled by the achingly witty script. Director Mike Nichols provides a masterclass in using the widescreen frame to elucidate complex emotional situations with ease and understatement.

Seamless editing keeps the pace clean and fast while hormonal hell breaks loose and movie history is made...

9 comments

#1, by Cottage, on 13 September 2012, 11:40 pm

thanks for your review, almar:)

#2, by Hania, on 14 September 2012, 9:34 pm

As I said today, great choice & perfect timing for this one.
Let me find 'Mrs. Robinson' on YouTube and I'll try to explain why.

I've just finished reading 'Fifty Shades of Grey' written by E L James. If you haven't heard about it, you will. I believe it will be (or already is?) as popular as 'Twilight' series, which it was inspired by.
(Warning: may contain spoilers!)
The main character is Christian Grey, a huge BDSM freak.
There is a moment, when he talks about his past and first lover. Because there is big difference in age between them (she was as old as his parents were), Anastasia, his girlfriend/lover (their relationship is difficult to explain, because it changes over the time), calls her 'Mrs. Robinson'.
It gets much funnier when he claims that she showed him the whole BDSM world...

And now I have a opportunity to get to know the origins of it. Yay! ;)

#3, by KamilKarm, on 16 September 2012, 4:11 pm

BDSM? Jeez, it must be sick.
You read books in Twilight type? Did you enjoy Twilight? I'm kinda surprised.

edit: just checked net and ofc, there's going to be a movie in one year based on this book u mentioned

The last modyfication on 16 September 2012, 4:14 pm, by KamilKarm

#4, by Hania, on 17 September 2012, 2:07 am

(Brace yourselves, this one is quite long. I couldn't help it.)

BDSM is not sick. The basic rule is safety, then pleasure. Just because it's weird, it doesn't mean it's morbid (what a beautiful word, by the way ;)). You don't want to do something - it's fine; you thought you'd like to do something, but you've changed your mind - use the safeword and everything ends immediately.
Sickness starts when you do something pleasant for you, but without the others' permission (like rape) and you enjoy it.
It's not like I'm into BDSM, I just wanted to make it clear ;)

The book wasn't sick either. (Or I'm already depraved. Nevermind.)
I've read it only because almost everyone in my part of Internet were talking about it (the rest will do it soon, I'm certain about it now) and I found it in the bookstore. I learned over a dozen hours after buying the book that it was based on a 'Twilight' fan-fic.

I've read 'Twilight' (only the first one, not the whole saga), but I didn't enjoy it. Actually, it was the worst book I've ever read - poorly-written and, my God, what she had done with the vampires?! I don't usually read such books, unless I have to make a point in discussion - I like to get to know thing before I'll criticize it. I've seen all movies made so far - just to be able to say 'it sucks not 'cause I say so, but because...' ;)

Can't wait to see the film, yet the cast is a big unknown for me.

See you on Thursday :)

#5, by KamilKarm, on 17 September 2012, 9:22 pm

Well, don't get me wrong. I do have nothing against people who enjoy bdsm. I just think brains of people who like to get punishment during sex are in some way broken, I mean I guess they're in bad condition in some way at least. Seriously, some choke holding, hitting (i mean hitting, not slapping) to get sexual satisfation seems to be kind of sick to me.

I've just got back from Gdańsk and saw many bilboards, posters about this book/movie, whatever. It says only these two words to me: don't watch (or don't read). Btw if it was Polish movie, I bet creators would say "it breakes taboo, it's great, go watch it and learn people!" (i guess it's Polnglish, but not sure how to say 'breaks taboo' right). Yeah, I judge books by their covers.

#6, by Hania, on 19 September 2012, 4:20 pm

Oh, Kamil... live and let die/live (delete as appropriate) ;)

I guess it's like doing sports... some need only jogging, riding a bike, swimming, while the others love to feel the adrenaline rush and do skydiving :) I believe there is a place for all of us.

I don't know if these books are breaking any taboos, I've read worse things on Internet when I was 15. But maybe it's just me.
We all do judge books by its covers, movies by its posters and that's why the authors pay so much attention to it. There is nothing wrong with that, of course if you know what are you looking for ;)
Well, you should read 'Fifty Shades...' not for the taboo, but to get out of your comfort zone. You'd be suprised what is out there... ;)

#7, by KamilKarm, on 19 September 2012, 9:58 pm

I woudn't call this 'comfort zone' and also think I'd sooner be disgusted than surprised.

#8, by Hania, on 21 September 2012, 1:19 am

Well, I'm not going to force you ;) It's definitely not a 'must-read' nor a compulsory book, as the ones at school.
But I guess it's not a time&place to discuss this. :)

Take care and see you soon.

#9, by KamilKarm, on 22 September 2012, 6:51 pm

Well, to be honest I must say this is the right place for such things :)
I guess ccc is meant for this, to provoke discussions, using brain and speaking English. I bet this is what Daniel wanted, unfortunately people are shy or just don't give a ... here, guess this 2nd one :)