The Graduate

I thought I'd start off this blog with a bang, reflecting on the most groundbreaking film the tail end of the Golden Age had to offer.  The Graduate is a film about lust, anger, and deceit.  Upon viewing this film, I realized that this would be the perfect way to introduce my audience to the strangest concepts film has to offer.

The graduate.  We all want to be that person right now.  If you've seen the film, you're probably strongly disagreeing right now, but the sheer concept of being a graduate, at least for the masses, is an appealing one.  However, for Ben Braddock, being a recent east coast college graduate coming back home to his parents in sunny Southern California wasn't the highlight of his life.  He came home to a homecoming party with all of his parent's rich friends, which he obviously did not want to be a part of.  He tried again and again to sneak away but he kept having to play 20 questions with everyone he passed by.  However, Mrs. Robinson had different ideas.

Now, I have mixed feelings about this.  There's always the age old scenario of the affair between an older person and a younger one, no matter how perfect of a life the elder may have. However, Mrs. Robinson (one of Ben's parents' rich friends) had an even bigger reason to not go out of her way to pursue Ben in the way she wished.  Mrs. Robinson's daughter, Elaine, was the same age as Ben, and Mr. and Mrs. Robinson seemed to want nothing more than to see them end up together.  Nevertheless, the conversation that succeeded between Ben and Mrs. Robinson was like no other:

-Oh, Benjamin, I want to ask you something.

What?

-Will you take me home?

What?

-My husband took the car. Will you drive me home?

(Ben gives Mrs. Robinson his car keys)

Here, you take it. Do you know how to work a foreign shift?

-No.

Let's go.

-Thank you.

Right.

(They arrive at Mrs. Robinson's house)

-Will you come in, please?

What?

-I like you to come in till I get the lights on.

What for?

-Because I don't feel safe until I get the lights on. Would you mind walking ahead of
me to the sun porch. I feel funny about coming into a dark house.

But it's light there.

-Please.

(They walk further into Mrs. Robinson's house)

-What do you drink? Bourbon?

Look, Mrs Robinson, I drove you home. I was glad to do it. But I have some things 

on my mind. Can you understand that?

-Yes.

All right.

-What do you drink?

(Ben starts to leave)

-Benjamin - I'm sorry to be this way, but I don't want to be left alone in this house.

Why not?

-Please wait till my husband gets home.

When is he coming back?

-I don't know.

Well, why can't you just lock the doors and go to bed?

-I'm very nuerotic.

Look - I think I should be going.

-Sit down, Benjamin.

Mrs. Robinson, if you don't mind my saying so, this conversation is getting a little 

strange. Now I'm sure that Mr. Robinson will be here any minute and...

-No.

What?

-My husband will be back quite late. He should be gone for several hours.

Oh my God.

-Pardon?

Oh no, Mrs. Robinson, oh no.

-What's wrong?

Mrs. Robinson, you didn't -
I mean you didn't expect -

-What?

I mean - you didn't really think that I would do something like that.

-Like what?

What do you think?

-Well, I don't know.

For God's sake, Mrs. Robinson. Here we are, you've got me into your house. You give 

me a drink. You put on music. Now you start opening up your personal life to me and 

tell me your husband won't be home for hours.

-So?

Mrs. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me. Aren't you?

-Well, no. I hadn't thought of it.

Now we all see what's going on here.  What I find interesting is that this scene is to be seen by the audience as comical, even though the scene isn't backed by any sort of laugh track or music.  I find it to be a film masterpiece.  Yet, if this scene were made in the same exact way, the same dialogue, but switch the sexes of Mrs. Robinson to Mr. Robinson and, say, Ben to Bernadette, filmed in 2015, this would be a criticized drama.  Factually, no one would stand for a scene in a movie like that today, it is seen as distasteful.

What I find amazing is how they could get away with a scene like this back then, and have it still come off as humorous.  That is what this whole film is about; using characters in scenes that if done today, would have a completely different review.

I could sit here all day and analyze every scene of this movie, but I suggest you see it for yourself, for this is just one measly aspect.