The Graduate

The 1967 film, The Graduate asks the generation, “Are you going to be like your parents?”  This film often shows how before 1967, parents had a big influence on the way their children acted and thought. This movie marked the period of time when children started to make their own decisions and stand up for their own beliefs and values, instead of parroting their parents. I really enjoyed watching this movie because it was very funny and I never quite knew what was going to happen next.

Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) is the main character of this film. He is what one would call socially awkward. Hoffman’s great acting makes the movie a hilarious film. Ben has just finished college and is coming back home for awhile to “think” about his future. His parents are planning on him attending graduate school. The first scene in the movie emphasizes how back in 1967, parents tried their hardest to tell their children what to do and how to run their lives. Ben’s parents throw him this huge college graduation party.  One might assume that since it is a party for Ben, Ben’s friends would be there. Well, not in this case. The guests include Ben’s parent’s friends and they wouldn’t leave Ben alone. One will often see Ben making up excuses to leave the party to go and do something. He did whatever it took to get himself out of the room.

At the party, another main character comes into play, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). She is one of Ben’s parents dear friend and her husband is Ben’s father’s business partner. She comes into the movie when Ben goes upstairs to his room to get away from the party for awhile. She is a very scandalous woman who was looking for some attention from Ben. While she is up in Ben’s room, she asks Ben if he would give her a ride home because she has a little bit of a drinking problem. However, once they arrive at Mrs. Robinson’s home, she keeps making up excuses for Ben to have to come in the house. Once she gets him in the house she offers him a drink. Ben knew that she was seducing him, but for some reason he just couldn’t say NO!

As the movie goes along, there are many hysterical scenes of Ben and Mrs. Robinson together. Their relationship has been going on for 2 months now, mostly taking place in the Taft Hotel, and that is when Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine ( Katharine Rose) comes into the movie. Elaine is a young, beautiful girl who is surprisingly single. I feel that Mrs. Robinson thought her daughter was a threat because she made Ben promise her that he wouldn’t ever see her daughter Elaine, let alone take her out on a date. But as many of you would guess, Ben can’t resist Elaine once his father made him take her out on a date. At first he was very upset about the whole idea of taking his lover’s daughter out on a date, but after awhile, he got use to it. As the end of the movie arrives, there are some very great scenes with a lot of symbolism. Try to figure out what the directors are trying to prove with the underlying symbols that are involved with this film. 


As this movie twists and turns to the finish line, it really shows how times have changed. Today parents have little control over their children and their children and their children’s future once he or she graduates from high school. It’s interesting how much times have really changed. This movie is a great example of that. I very much enjoyed this movie because of the great acting and hilarious scenes. I think that even though this is an older movie, it is one that everyone should watch because it is a great comedy and most people would probably enjoy it.