Benjamin Braddock returns home to California after successfully completing college. He gets a hero's welcome from his parents but Ben isn't quite sure what to do with the rest of his life. He is soon seduced by Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's partner, who methodically pursues the inexperienced young man. Soon, they are meeting regularly in hotel rooms. Warned by her to stay away from her daughter Elaine, his father goads him into taking her out on a date. He finds he quite likes Elaine but when she learns he's been having an affair with her own mother, she'll have nothing to do with him. He's smitten however and pursues her.Written by
garykmcd
Katherine Ross was definitely the "It" girl of the 60s and 70s, starring in "The Graduate," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," and "The Stepford Wives"--all major releases during that period. See more »
Goofs
When Ben is seen crossing the Oakland Bay Bridge on his way to Berkeley he is driving on the upper of the two decks of the Bridge which only carries traffic westbound from Oakland to San Francisco and thus would be taking him away from Berkeley. The only way to get to Berkeley by way of the Bay Bridge is to drive Eastbound, and all such traffic is carried only on the lower deck of the Bridge. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Pilot:
Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to begin our descent into Los Angeles. The sound you just heard is the landing gear locking into place. Los Angeles weather is clear; temperature is 72. We expect to make our 4 hour and 18 minute flight on schedule. We have enjoyed having you on board, and look forward to seeing you again in the near future.
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Alternate Versions
SPOILER: When 'The Graduate' was first released in Portugal, the ending was cut; the movie ended with a helpless Ben behind the glass of the church watching Elaine getting married. The reason why the film suffered such a major cut was that the erstwhile military regime had a solid basis in Catholic doctrine and family values, and the censorship was given orders not to let any bad example pass to the youth. So it was decided that the movie should end with the lesson that nothing ever should oppose the church, the state and the parents. See more »
I'm not sure why evil, decadent Mrs. Robinson sets her sights on dazed and shy college grad Benjamin Braddock, son of the middle-aged couple she and her husband socialize with; it's never really explained, and neither is Benjamin's sexual past (it's hinted that he's a virgin when they end up in a hotel room together). It's also not explained why Mrs. Robinson definitely does not want Benjamin to get to know her daughter (she's angrily adamant about it, even willing to expose her own affair to prevent the two kids from going out for a drive!). Despite the gaps in the narrative and the lapses in logic (and taste, some might say), "The Graduate" is still a landmark film, crystallizing the helplessness of the '60s. Surprisingly, the ultimate theme of the movie is love--an impulsive, rebellious kind of love, but still the rather old-fashioned notion of love conquering all. And yet this brings up another question: is Benjamin really in love with sweet college girl Elaine or is she just a conquest? Or maybe the best thorn he can stick in Mrs. Robinson's side? Benjmain is told he cannot see her, he cannot have her, and that surely fuels his desire to marry her. The film presents love as the answer, but then (with an amusing, sobering final shot) second-guesses itself. "The Graduate" doesn't dig too deeply, it's lightweight (even with Dustin Hoffman's outburst in the church--the only time the movie gets some fury going), but it does take chances; it wasn't ahead of its time, it just came along at the right time and is still a relevant, glossy modern comedy. ***1/2 from ****
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I'm not sure why evil, decadent Mrs. Robinson sets her sights on dazed and shy college grad Benjamin Braddock, son of the middle-aged couple she and her husband socialize with; it's never really explained, and neither is Benjamin's sexual past (it's hinted that he's a virgin when they end up in a hotel room together). It's also not explained why Mrs. Robinson definitely does not want Benjamin to get to know her daughter (she's angrily adamant about it, even willing to expose her own affair to prevent the two kids from going out for a drive!). Despite the gaps in the narrative and the lapses in logic (and taste, some might say), "The Graduate" is still a landmark film, crystallizing the helplessness of the '60s. Surprisingly, the ultimate theme of the movie is love--an impulsive, rebellious kind of love, but still the rather old-fashioned notion of love conquering all. And yet this brings up another question: is Benjamin really in love with sweet college girl Elaine or is she just a conquest? Or maybe the best thorn he can stick in Mrs. Robinson's side? Benjmain is told he cannot see her, he cannot have her, and that surely fuels his desire to marry her. The film presents love as the answer, but then (with an amusing, sobering final shot) second-guesses itself. "The Graduate" doesn't dig too deeply, it's lightweight (even with Dustin Hoffman's outburst in the church--the only time the movie gets some fury going), but it does take chances; it wasn't ahead of its time, it just came along at the right time and is still a relevant, glossy modern comedy. ***1/2 from ****