The Graduate

1) The Graduate is a comedy film directed by Mike Nichols in 1967. The film received numerous awards for being one of the first films to express true youth rebellion. In the film starred Dustin Hoffman, as Benjamin Braddock, the graduate, Anne Bancroft, as Mrs. Robinson, Katherine Ross, as Elaine Robinson, and many other actors. The storyline of the film was about Benjamin Braddock who graduated from college and wasn't aware of what his next move in life was going to be. He was extremely laid back about finding a career or going back to school for his masters degree even with his parents pressuring him. Mr. Robinson, a friend of their parents, pressured Ben to take out his daughter Elaine and date her while Mrs Robinson wanted nothing to do with it. Mrs. Robinson was the least bit interested  in his plans for school or him mingling with her daughter, but instead found Ben attractive and sought plans to seduce him. When her plans finally succeeded and he decided he was going to date her daughter, she refused to let that happen. He went ahead with his plan anyway and everything fell apart and everyone saw him in a different way. The more people put all their pressure on him and started to give their opinions on the situation, the less he cared and the more rebellious he got, ending the film with him and Elaine escaping together.


2) The Graduate at 40: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/10/DD6HS2PDL.DTL
The article discusses that the film was based off of the 1963 novel "The Graduate" by Charles Webb. The film was rather difficult for Mike Nichols to make. Nichols felt that his timing and the casting for the film were wrong. Mike felt unprepared and unknowledgeable about how to make a film and didn't think the film would turn out to be such a success but it did. He received much praise for screenplay, lighting, editing, cinematography and music. Although the music throughout the film was repetitive, it set the mood for what was going on.


3) The screening and the article are one in the same because even though Mike Nichols had issues making the film, in the end it turned out to be a great success. The Graduate created such comical suspense for its viewers and received such praiseworthy reviews. The acting and humor was so lively and popular that the film has been considered one of the best comedy films in American history.  


4) For a young man to choose between shattering his highly respected reputation and seeking love with his seducer's daughter makes The Graduate an extremely suspenseful, comical and rather enjoyable film. The continuous pressures from the many people in his life forced him to act rebelliously towards their wishes and do whatever he deemed right for himself. The theme of being a rebellious youth stood out in the end when Ben and Elaine escaped together on her wedding day. He was determined to have Elaine to herself even if that cost him his reputation. He was no longer going to live by anyone's rules or pressures.