mike nichol's the graduate: a society rebellion film & a love story

8/10/2019 Mike Nichol's The Graduate: A Society Rebellion Film & A Love Story

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The most well-known scene is, of course, the seduction scene, where Benjamin isseduced by Mrs. Robinson (sexily played by Anne Bancroft). It was director MikeNichol s idea to film Benjamin framed through Mrs. Robinsons legs. It becamean iconic photo which perfectly represented the film and also the temptation togo along with the Establishment. Tradition al values still offered those carrots tomiddle-class students-get a university degree, serve in the army, get married, andhave a secure career. Another famous scene expressed this too, the scene whereBenjamins uncle tells him he should get a career in plastics. There was aconflict which was going on in American society, between the past and the future,and the film perfectly captured that.

Benjamin likes Elaine , Mrs. Robinsons beautiful, but innocent daughter (played

by Katharine Ross), but when she finds out about his affair with her mother, sherejects him. Benjamin, after he becomes tainted by Mrs. Robinsonstemptations, for a while even becomes callous towards Elaine, whom heembarrasses by taking her to a strip club. Benjamin,eventually repents and triesto win Elaine back again. The Graduate then becomes a great love story and,against all odds and society , fights his way back to her heart. There are some ofthe most harrowing scenes as he drives by Elaine s house, hoping to reach her,while on the soundtrack is playing Simon and Garfunkel s sad song, April Come sShe Will. Simon and Garfu nkels songs, of course, make up the famoussoundtrack, especially, Mrs. Robinson (it wasnt made specifically for the film,but was called, Mrs. Roosevelt originally) and exposed their music considerably.Nichols picked the perfect music to go along with the film.


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The Graduate became symbolically, the battle between the system and rebellionagainst society, which many young people were actually facing at that time and,thus became massively popular with youth. At the end of the film, like all heroiccharacters, Benjamin rushes in, just in time to save his damsel, Elaine (whorealizes herself finally, Benjamins e ssential goodness and love for her). Theaudience cheers the heroic couple as they escape the corrupt Robinsons and theEstablishment life they offered. The classic morality tale is up-dated for the times.

But what is most intriguing is the very last sce ne on the bus theyve boarded toget away: Benjamin and Elaine look curiously perplexed for a couple who have

just fought society and won. They each stare straight ahead and not at eachother, a look of panic, even on their faces. Why? What was director, Nichols

saying? I noticed this when I first saw The Graduate in 1967. But I wondered thenand now, if most young people even noticed at the time. That last scene to mehas always been the most fascinating one in the movie. For perhaps Nichols ishinting that for maybe Benjamin and Elaine (and perhaps symbolically, the 60sgeneration), it may not be so black and white and simple a choice as youththought their freedom might be. I still wonder all these years later what Nicholsmeant to say. But that is also why Nichols films like The Graduate still stand up-he always had a subtlety and psychological layers in his work. Something heperhaps learned as an actor himself, at one time, in improvisational theatre inChicago and later as part of the influential comedy team Elaine May & MikeNichols. Nichols was later married to TV journalist, Diane Sawyer. The Graduate isstill ranked #17 of top American films by the American Film Institute and #21 the


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highest grossing films in North America.

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Above: Mike Nichols & Elaine May, comedy duo, before Nichols became director

I have my own personal story, related to The Graduate. In 1967, I was attendinga Midwestern U.S. university and questioning my own place in society. I hadtransferred the year before from another U.S. university where I was takingpharmacy, but had decided to change my major to political science and history,partly because I also began to question the Vietnam War and the direction societywas heading in the 60s. That same year, 1967, was the Summer of Love andThe Beatles Sgt. Peppers had been released and it too would become ageneration-defining icon and symbol of youth and the changes taking place. I wasa big Beatles fan and these two cultural events , Sgt. Peppers and The Graduate were to have a large effect on many of my generation and on me personally.

When I had transferred to this new university, I had been required to take aforeign language and I took French. But I was not very good at languages and theonly thing that kept me going to the class was a pretty girl in my French course.

So I asked her out. But it turned out to be a disastrous first date. For I was now anolder 3 rd year student because of my two years at the previous university, and thisgirl I arrogantly found to be too young and innocent (much like the character,Elaine, in The Graduate ). A year later though, still required to take anothercourse in French, which I was still terrible at it, we had to take our French final ina large auditorium. It was a stressful time because if I failed that oral final (which


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counted 50% of my grade), I would likely fail the course. I knew with the blaringspeakers of the auditorium where it was given and with my worst aspect, beingthe oral part, that I was likely doomed.

I exited the auditorium, dejected. But whom do I run into there, but the same girlfrom that first French class and disastrous date the year before. And surprisingly,shes quite friendly. F or some reason, out of the blue (I figured what had I to loseafter the day Id been having !), I asked her out that night to a movie. And to myastonishment, she said, Yes.

We decided to go to a new movie in town that weekend, of which we knew littleabout. Well, it was The Graduate . We had no idea then that it would, as I say,become a generation-defining film. But we both loved it and we got along wellafter the film. This girl was now, to my now less-arrogant eyes, even morebeautiful (she even looked like Katharine Ross, who played Elaine in the film),than I had remembered. We became close for the rest of my university days.

But unfortunately, those days were soon to become to an end. For with thefailure of that French course and some others (school courses seemed prettyirrelevant any more, with all the changes going on in society and my growingopposition to the Vietnam War), I dropped out of university and now faced theAmerican draft. Finally, when there were few choices left (Vietnam or jail), Idecided to flee to Canada. And when I did finally have to leave, I asked this girl ifthere was anything I could give her for all her support, she said there was aspecial antique chair in my room that she had long admired, and I carried it in thesnow to her place and said goodbye to her for the last time. So I will alwaysassociate The Graduate with this girl and the experiences we had and thatbittersweet moment of having to leave her behind and face my own choicesabout society. And they were to help determine my own future, much like thecharacters, Benjamin and Elaine in the film, and ironically, reminded me of that


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haunting bittersweet look on their faces in that last scene below,The Graduate:

See Below Trailer For The Graduate:

http://youtu.be/hsdvhJTqLak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsdvhJTqLak
http://youtu.be/hsdvhJTqLakhttp://youtu.be/hsdvhJTqLakhttp://youtu.be/hsdvhJTqLak

mike nichol's the graduate: a society rebellion film & a love story

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