My Favourite Films - The Graduate

The 1960s is often viewed as a revolutionary time for cinema. The Golden Age had died out and most of its stars were losing their appeal. The rise of television created the first real competition for films and was considered "The Death of Cinema" (Good call on that!). It was a time where the old talent was being brushed out to make way for the new, the young, the experimental. While The Golden Age introduced many of the storytelling elements we still use today, a lot of the films themselves seemed rather conservative, safe, and eventually audiences were getting tired of it. The 60s saw the birth of Bonnie & Clyde, Easy Rider, 2001: A Space Odyssey, films that were rebellious, liberal and pioneering in ways they weren't before. It also saw one of the earliest (And to this day best) examples of the Coming of Age film, The Graduate (1967).

I say "one of" because one could argue Rebel Without A Cause would count as a coming of age film, I'm not inclined to disagree, but when I think of the standards and conventions expected of the genre, I usually think of The Graduate being the one that formed them. Also while Rebel is without a doubt a fantastic film-and may one day be talked about in this series-it's not so much a story I think people love because they identify with, it's a character piece about an individual who is forced into a stereotype and a critique on the failings of the prior generation (Okay, maybe we do relate to it a little), and it certainly opened the gates for The Graduate to exist.

*Spoilers Ahead*

The Graduate follows the story of Ben Braddock, a recent college graduate who is now left with one simple question "What next?" it's a question everyone asks him, everyone expects him to have a plan and go on to do something big, the problem is: He has no idea. He spends the majority of his summer seemingly ignoring the problem, focusing on other unimportant and even deplorable things, such as starting an affair with a much older woman, and after breaking it off, dating her daughter.

I've said in the past that for a coming of age film to work, you have to identify with the character's specific problems, which is incredibly difficult to do because every teenager goes through different problems depending on things such as personal identity, social status, popularity; meaning to have a character you identify with means alienating a large audience that didn't go through the same struggles you/the character did. Note: This is why The Breakfast Club works so well, it doesn't have one specific character, it has five, so chances are you will relate to one of them. The Graduate is the exception to the rule, there's nothing unique about Ben, nothing about him to make him standout from the rest, but chances are you either are, are going to, or will have gone through exactly what he is going through-hell, I'm going through it right now. Finishing University and having absolutely no idea where you go from here. It's a confusing time of our lives, we're technically adults, about to enter "The Real World" yet we still feel like children, these people who are supposed to be our peers are still light years ahead of us in maturity, along with the added pressure of everyone expecting you to have the next 60 years of your life figured out, it's easy to see why Ben regresses into such immature and poorly thought out scenarios.

There are very few people Ben's age in the film, his relationship with Mrs Robinson is very clearly not one of equal ground, it's uncomfortable and feels like a grown woman grooming a boy. Yet his relationship with Elaine Robinson-a woman his own age-isn't any better, it doesn't feel like two young adults, but rather two teenagers who's entire relationship is basically an act of defiance, a chance to rebel and embrace young love even if it's against their parents' wishes. The final shot of the movie basically confirms this, the two proclaiming they're in love, having a dramatic 'crash the wedding' scene, and then ends with them realising their actions have not been well thought out and and probably going to make them suffer in the long run.

Granted, I'm not saying everyone will end up like Ben, making horrible decisions and risk ruining their life, but the idea of returning to your teenage ways certainly is a lot more comforting, especially with the little consequences young love can lead to.

Also I'd be remiss to not mention the soundtrack by Simon & Garfunkle, it's fantastic, iconic and features songs that are still beloved to this day, even if the internet slightly ruins 'Sound of Silence' by playing it all the time.

In Summary, The Graduate is fantastic because it's timeless. It's somehow a film that helped define a generation of filmmaking, while still remaining relevant for modern audiences. People can connect to it, laugh with it, sing to it, and in the end remind you of that pit in your stomach as you still don't have the answers to the question "What next?". Just as long as you don't crash any weddings, you should be fine.

-Danny