Review of The Graduate; Screenplay and Film

This was the second film I read the screenplay and watched the film. I had mentioned to my theater directing teacher to put on the Graduate, but she demurred because there weren't enough roles for the whole class to play. I put it on the back burner to read later. I had also read Larry Turman's introductory book about Film Producing. He was the producer behind the Graduate and reveals a lot of the work that went into make it a big hit. Peter Biskind's book Raging Bulls also goes into detail about how the film was cast. Instead of Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft it was supposed to by Robert Redford and Candice Bergen. Originally it was supposed to be WASPs, instead they cast Beverly Hills Jews. It was what Turman wanted. He was a big fan of Dustin Hoffman and had to have him in the film.

The script is good. It is definitely a product of the 60s. The wording, the language, and, of course the them really captures what it was like to live in the 60s. There were two parts left out of the film. At the beginning, Benjimin is supposed to make a speech and his fellow classmates are supposed to clear out, and he is left standing there all alone. This was cut from the script which I thought would have created more of an explanation about Benjimin's sense of directionlessness and disillusionment. I suppose the shots of him drifting around on the float in the pool suffice.

Another shot cut from the script is where Benjimin imagines his family and Mrs. Robinson going to dinner together. In the sequence he can't take being so close to Mrs. Robinson and screams out in anguish. It could have added more tension to film, but it was taken out.

The rest of the story reads smoothly, goes right along. I thought the script, like the film drags a little at the end. I don't know how it could have been done differently. How could Benjimin find out the address of the wedding other than go to the frat house? How does he stalk Mrs. Robinson's daughter without going to Berkley? I don't know. I thought the whole object of marrying Mrs. Robinson's daughter was farcical. It was funny, it makes the film outrageous, yet is it really believable? I suppose it doesn't matter; it's a movie, it's the 60s, a lot of strange things happen in movies and a lot of strange things happened in the 60s.

The best scene was, obviously, the seduction scene. The dialogue is great. It's compelling, intense, funny, awkward, and alluring. The whole sequence grabs your attention and doesn't let go until Benjimin finally leaves the Robinson house. Toward the end of the film, like I mentioned before, there is less dialogue, it is mostly scenes and music with little dialogue. I enjoy it, the music is great written especially for the film, and the shots, which must have cost a fortune, of the suspension bridge in California are great. Must have been a helicopter shot? Probably. Yet, there is little dialogue. I suppose it's not necessary for the rest of the film. Still a great film. I would like to show it in my American Cinema class.