Based on the 1963 novella of the same name by Charles Webb, it's the story of Benjamin Braddock, a young man who has just finished college and is looking for a direction in life. Into his life comes Mrs. Robinson, an older woman who is the bored and neglected wife of one of Benjamin's father's work colleagues. Despite the age difference- she is twice as old as him- Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson start an affair. However things become complicated when it is suggested that Benjamin dates Mrs. Robinson's daughter Elaine.
Working from a script by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry, The Graduate was director Mike Nichols' second feature film (his first was the searing Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?). The cast- featuring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft- have become indelibly linked with these characters, although the end result could have been quite different.
As the sultry Mrs. Robinson, Anne Bancroft absolutely shines. You do have to wonder how much Bancroft's amazing performance led to the fact that 'Mrs. Robinson' has now passed into common lexicon for an older woman who is involved with a younger man (and it's so much nicer a term than 'cougar'). Bancroft plays Mrs. Robinson as a woman angry with herself for giving up on her own passions and desires (her interest in art, for instance) to marry a man who is wealthy and will provide security. Sure, she has the trappings of wealth- but she's lonely, bored and aching to be loved. It's only at the end that she becomes a villain, forcing Elaine into marriage, but it's a beautifully nuanced performance throughout. And despite the age difference in the script (Mrs. Robinson is meant to be in her mid-forties with Benjamin turning 21 shortly), Bancroft was 36 and Hoffman was 29 at the time of filming! Rumours persist that Doris Day was Nichols' original choice for Mrs. Robinson- she was approached but turned the role down due to the nudity involved. Nichols' actual first choice was the French actress Jeanne Moreau (as, in French culture, it is often an older woman who 'train' younger men in matters of sex) but the producers baulked at this idea. A veritable Who's Who of 1960s Hollywood were either considered or expressed interest in the role- Joan Crawford, Geraldine Page, Patricia Neal, Grayson Hall, Lauren Bacall, Lana Turner, Anne Baxter, Shelley Winters, Rita Hayworth, Sophia Loren, Angela Lansbury, Simone Signoret, and Audrey Hepburn all enquired about or were considered for the role. Ava Gardner reportedly petitioned for the role and met with Nichols in her hotel room, only to tell him 'first of all, I strip for nobody!'
In the role of Mr. Robinson, Gene Hackman was originally cast but replaced just before filming began as it was felt he was too young; this meant he could take a role in Bonnie And Clyde (which garnered him his first Oscar nomination) instead. Marlon Brando, Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Jack Palance, Frank Sinatra, and Walter Matthau were all considered before Murray Hamilton was cast. For Benjamin's parents, Susan Hayward was considered for Mrs. Braddock but the role was given to Elizabeth Wilson; whilst Yul Brynner, Kirk Douglas, Jack Lemmon, Robert Mitchum, Karl Malden, Christopher Plummer and Ronald Reagan were considered for Mr. Braddock, with the role going to William Daniels.
One of the many iconic things about the film is the soundtrack which utilises several songs from Simon & Garfunkel, including the mournful 'The Sound Of Silence' and the exuberant 'Mrs. Robinson' (changed from Simon's original 'Mrs. Roosevelt'). Initially, 'The Sound Of Silence' was only used as a pacing device for the edit before Nichols realised that it worked really well and captured the mood he was after. The soundtrack album reached the top of the charts in 1968.
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| Leslie Caron presenting Mike Nichols with his Oscar |
In 1996, The Graduate was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress as part of the National Film Registry. This honour is given to 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films' and The Graduate is indeed culturally and historically significant. Cinema in the 1960s started to look at more social and societal issues. Alongside The Graduate at the 1968 Oscars, the other Best Picture nominees featured Bonnie And Clyde, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner and In The Heat Of The Night (the eventual winner)- films that look at issues of race and gender and American society at large. The other film was Doctor Doolittle, which shows there's still always space for cosy escapism.
If you've never seen The Graduate, it's definitely worth a look. A great soundtrack, superb performances and expertly directed. Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson!
