55. THE GRADUATE (Mike Nichols, 1967, USA) [783.33 points; 9 votes]
S&S: 369 | TSPDT: 217 | BOXD: DNP
MORBS SEZ: "after Elaine discovers her mom's affair with Ben, The Graduate just isn't very good. Benjamin's dullness as a character to begin with is kind of the point. He was taken as a hero by dull '60s kids … my fave scene in The Graduate, however, might be the very last NOW WHAT one on the bus."I've watched Bonnie & Clyde every few years over three-plus decades--from an initial "Huh?", it gets better every time I go back to it, and Harris's book helped that along a little more. But I still would have voted for The Graduate, which is part of my movie-going DNA.
― clemenza, Saturday, February 11, 2012 9:05 PM
this movie leaves me cold. i love "confused young man" black comedies of the era, but ennnh, you can't really build an entire movie out of coy winks and nods and no real script (unless you're french). i know it's supposed to be revolutionary and daring, but i don't feel it.
goodbye, columbus is better.
― oh ilx my lionheart (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, November 17, 2005 1:01 AM
The Graduate is one of my favourite ever films, yes. Just beautiful, and unbearably affecting re: becoming an adult, despite Benjamin's situation bearing little resemblance to my own post-graduation. I don't like the end so much as the beginning, and that section where he is having the affair with Mrs Robinson, lazing around the swimming pool and doing little else.
-- Nick
someone once said the last section of the graduate is like "crepey stalker gets the girl" and it made me go hmmm
― 鬼の手 (Edward III), Friday, April 24, 2009 12:02 PM
May I also say, I especially hate the song Mrs. Robinson. I'd always assume that seeing the movie would illuminate the lyrics for me (it wasn written about the character, right?) but the song doesn't seem to entirely "get" her.
― Abbadabba Berman (Hurting), Thursday, November 17, 2005 1:11 AM
it's not hard to love bonnie and clyde, but i think the graduate was smarter about where things were going. no blaze of glory, just a lot of wtf. plus -- anne bancroft.
― would you ask tom petty that? (tipsy mothra), Saturday, April 25, 2009 12:14 AM
elaine is an underwritten character, but ross is fine (in both senses)
― wizzz! (amateurist), Thursday, March 24, 2016 12:17 PM
oh god, people, the graduate. please god no
― gear (gear), Monday, December 12, 2005 10:11 PM
when alex in nyc and dr morb yuppieromcom loving powers combine they give us - THE GRADUATE
― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, December 12, 2005 10:18 PM
― Milm & Foovies (Eric H.), Friday, 29 October 2021 17:36 (two years ago) link