Rating: 
Summary: The Graduate: One Step on the Road to Maturity
Review: Nearly everyone who has seen THE GRADUATE hails it as a major masterpiece of American cinema. The AFI poll places it at #7 on its all-time hit list. There are reasons why this film was such a monster hit that can still resonate with a new generation that usually puts down whatever their parents held up as classic. THE GRADUATE is alternatingly hilarious, serious, undecided, and sexual, exactly the mix that appeals across the board to any generation. When it was released in 1967, the Baby Boomers were roughly the same age as Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman was then a surprising 30, with Anne Bancroft 36). When Ben walks down the stairs to his living room, he is not only being introduced to his parents' guests, he is a surrogate male deb presented to a then post baby boom and pre-Vietnam society that had riches, power, and education but nowhere to turn to use them. Much of the power of the film lies in a series of vignettes that illustrate this gap between the earnest callowness of youth and the foolish, sometimes vindictive ingrained attitudes of Ben's family and of the vicious Queen Bee herself, Mrs. Robinson. The 'plastics' scene has been endlessly debated as to its symbolism, but given its context, it more likely refers to the slightly sardonic choice between Ben's unwillingness to act and the older generation's Depression Era habit of requiring all of the next generation to act. Have you noticed that every adult in the film older than Ben is either foolish, mean-spirited, or cowardly? Certainly Ben has. It must not have been easy for him to be unfailingly polite to all those whom he must have seen as confrontational. The seduction scenes between Ben and Mrs.Robinson are both funny and pathetic. Funny in that she has a world of sophistication that constantly exposes his lack of it. Pathetic in that she establishes in concrete that in this relation she is the boss, leaving both Ben and the viewer to wonder where her antagonism toward her daughter Elaine (Katherine Ross) is coming from. When I watched the movie again recently, I paid more attention to the relation between mother and daughter than to mother and lover. Nowhere does Mrs.Robinson show any maternal love for Elaine. Instead, what we see is a competition between the reigning Queen and an upstart princess pretender who is not even aware of the existence of this competition. Their time together on screen in short, but what there is evidences a conflict that climaxes in the church marriage of Elaine to Carl Smith. Ben shouts out Elaine's name, while tapping on a window. Elaine shouts back, while her mother slaps her face. When Ben and Elaine fight their way out using yet another heavily symbolic prop, a massive crucifix, the battle between them and her parents is seen more as a battle between the wandering youth generation of 1967 and an earlier one that was hardened by the Depression and the Second World War, both of which carried no emotional wallop except to those that endured them.
Those who try to encapsulate the lasting power of the movie usually focus on the standout scenes: plastics, the frontdesk bell ringing in the hotel, the 'I think you are scum' invective delivered by Elaine's father, the terrific songs of Simon and Garfunkel whose lyrics and themes punctuate Ben's evolving perspective. Yet, one of the least analyzed moments comes at the very end when Ben and Elaine dash out of the church, she in a wedding gown, he in a jogging suit, to seek refuge in a passing bus. As they sit in the back, to the consternation of all the other passengers, the camera lingers on Ben's and Elaine's faces. Their expressions are at first ecstatically happy. Bit by bit though, their expressions take on a more somber hue. They do not even look at each other. It is as if now for the first time in the film for both, that they realize that up until that very moment, life's consequences could be evaded, avoided, or deterred. Now they know differently. They may in fact love one another, but each has been rudely yanked out of their comfortable Southern California affluent life to live in the real world where maturity is but one asset needed to enjoy that love. THE GRADUATE is a magnificent ensemble of sight, sound, mood, and acting, but it is this subtle call to the need to reach out for a mature perspective about why we do things the way that we do that makes this movie as timeless now as it was back in 1967.
Rating:
Summary: A Timeless Classic
Review: I was a senior this past year in high school when I first saw this film and I was just amazed and blown-away at how this movie, despite it's 1967 release, is so relateable. I saw a lot of myself in Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman;the urge to not do what everyone else is doing, and just feeling completely out of place so much that you just become a scuba diver at the bottom of a backyard pool.Even Simon and Garfunkel's beautiful soundtrack accurately coincide with the film's central character and his general outlook on life as a graduate.
For those who haven't seen it, "The Graduate" has it all: drama, humor, great music, and wonderful camera techniques. But most importantly, it provides a voice for all those like myself, who are trying to disturb the sounds of silence.
A revolutionary film for any generation.
Rating: 
Summary: Salvaged
Review: from what appears to be a steamy trash novel, Mike Nichols and Buck Henry elevate it to a meditation on young adulthood, which was popular then as it is now, I suppose. Poor Ben Braddock-spoiled to death, doted on, fresh out of college...and has no idea what to do next. In his inertia he stumbles into a sex affair with the neighbors wife who is twice his elder. This gets dicey when he falls for her daughter, and the jealous mother makes him ruin his budding romance with her. What is at first a racy romp of a movie turns shrill at the end, when the movie takes its focus off Ben and Mrs. Robinson's dalliance and focuses more on a hero's quest for the heart of the woman he loves, with much screaming and nastiness abounding...the cool Mrs. Robinson becomes a shrew, which was unfortunate. Saying anymore would spoil the ending.
Overall, this was a great movie, one Ive been putting off to see and am glad I finally broke down and watched. Dustin Hoffman is a brilliant comic actor, playing the nervous, puzzled Ben, and Mike Nichols' directing is fun and very much the product of an era. Oh, great Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack too.
Rating:
Summary: Twisted, Funny, and True
Review: An all around great movie that's message has not been lost, even after 35 years. This is an amazing movie, and is best seen by high school/collage aged people, as they begin to question the ethics of the adult world. The graduate (Dustin Hoffman) returns home from collage a legend, but wants nothing more than a little peace and quiet, a request his parents refuse to accommodate. At his graduation party, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) drags him back to her house where she attempts to seduce him. Her surprising motive is revealed later. All in all, it's a strong movie, and a classic for good reason.
Rating:
Summary: I am Graduated!
Review: As a recent college graduate with no job and no plans for the immediate future, I picked up The Graduate hoping for some direction. I may not have found any direction, but I did find a witty, smart comedy about a recent college graduate.As Benjamin Braddock, Dustin Hoffman was brilliant. I could sympathize with his search for something worthwhile in the days following his graduation from college. The party scene at his house where all of the adults are asking Benjamin what he is going to do and offering their advice is particularly amusing. I had a similar experience and was forced to make up answers to appease the questioners. Mrs. Robinson, his friend's attractive mother was also played very well. Her encounters and advances towards an uncomfortable Benjamin are comic in their portrayal. In his relationship with Mrs. Robinson, we see Benjamin go from a shy, unconfident boy to a man confident in his sexuality and with his affair with Mrs. Robinson. The Simon and Garfunkel song that is used during transitions is haunting and will ring in your mind for many hours following the movie. "The Sounds of Silence" was a perfect choice for this movie and it may be a bit over used, but it is nevertheless effective. There is a reason that The American Film Institute ranked this film as the 8th best ever made. Pick it up and find out.
Rating:
Summary: great
Review: ok i see why this is nominated as one of the best films ever. its a story that doesnt leave you wanting to rip your hair out. im 17 and i still enjoyed it. my favorite part was the seduction. i practically think its the best movie ever made.
Rating:
Summary: The Graduate
Review: The Graduate was ranked #7 in AFI's 100 Greatest movies. It was ranked #9 in AFI's 100 Funniest movies. I agree with both ranking. The Graduate is a funny and important film. The performance of Bancroft and Hoffman and Mike Nichol's direction helped the film. Dustin Hoffman portrayed a bright, but naive graduate student. Anne Bancroft as the seductive and icily feline Mrs. Robinson. Nichol's odd angles, jittery editing, and evocative wide-screen photography helped boost the artistic quality of the movie. The script was written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham. The script was simple. You could give it to ten different writers and the results will be interesting. The originality of the script and the performance helped boost the comedy level.
The picture quality and the sound quality of the DVD was good for a 1967 movies. The interview with Dustin Hoffman and the making of the movie documentary was interesting and resourceful. The extras of the DVD was great but not excellent. I bought this movie at a price of 17.00(new). You can't expect too much at that price. I'm hoping that a Criterion Edition will be released for THE GRADUATE. Grade: (Out of *****) Movie: *****
Picture: ****
Sound: ****
Extra: ***
Overall DVD Rating: **** Conclusion: THE GRADUATE is one of the most influential and important movie of all time. The movie portrayed a confused, cut off, and trapped man trying to figure out what he is going to do with his future. I recommend this movie to everybody who loves comedy and great movies.
Rating:
Summary: 8<(
Review: For this fine movie That shows youth's pain and perils I've one word: "plastics"
Rating:
Summary: Mrs Robinson, Jesus Loves You More Than You Will Know...
Review: what can i say about this film that would be any different than what anyone else has said, except that it is great. I watched it yesterday at the library. in real life, anne bancroft is only 6 years older than dustin hoffman and yet she has a very mature look, pretty much playing dustin like a piano for most of the movie. but wouldn't most men like to be in benjamin braddock's shoes? ! he was the godfather of slackers. this movie came out the year i was born; back then films were embracing a new openess in creativity and sexuality. it was also the summer of love and the sexual revolution was in full swing. katherine ross looks so young in this one. so does richard dreyfus.it was interesting to see the scenes shot at UC Berkeley( one scenes is shot on telegraph avenue ) and the Oakland Zoo, places i have been to many times. of course, this is one of the most quotable movies ever...the wedding finale ( elaine!!! elaine !!! ) caused a lump in my throat...and oh yeah, simon and garfunkel's songs, put the movie soundtrack on the map..." where have you gone, joe dimaggio?? "
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely a classic coming-of-age tale...
Review: Hard to say anything that hasn't already been said about the sad, droll magnificence of this film. So here's some trivia. Dustin Hoffman was 30 and Anne Bancroft 36 when they played characters who were supposed to be roughly 21 and 40...how's that? Richard Dreyfuss' first film role was as a nerdy resident of Hoffman's rooming house. Many of the sequences that allegedly take place at the University of California at Berkeley were actually shot at USC--as any Berkeley student-lounge audience can attest. And when Benjamin Braddock is frantically driving his red MG to find Elaine in Berkeley via the San Francisco Bay Bridge, he's filmed on the top deck, which actually leads back to San Francisco. The lower deck is headed--acurately, but not so picturesquely--to Oakland and Berkeley. There. Now let this movie find a place in your heart ("Plastics!").
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