The Graduate begins with young Benjamin Braddock returning from college to a phony, stiff graduation party thrown by his well intentioned parents complete with cheek pinching, oohhing and aaahiing and useless advice. Near the end of the party Mrs. Robinson with some persuading convinces Benjamin to drive her home. Once at Mrs. Robinsons house she pleads with him to stay with her until her husband returns and he reluctantly obliges. While waiting for Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Robinson attempts to seduce the reluctant Benjamin who wants no part of it and is quite paranoid of Mr. Robinson walking in on an awkward situation. Some days later Benjamin whose stumbling through life without much direction or purpose calls up Mrs. Robinson and they meet in a hote

The Graduate is a masterpiece constructed by Mike Nichols that will go down in the annals of American film as one of the greatest ever. Dustin Hoffman did an incredible job portray the young Benjamin Braddock and this may his best performance. The Graduate questioned a lot of issues in society during the time yet it is still relevant in our time which lends to its greatness.

Mrs. Robinson is a sneaking character with no morals who will do whatever it takes to accomplish her goals. Mrs. Robison is sneaky the way she convinces his Ben to drive her home and stay at her house, by using Ben’s inhibitions against him. Mrs. Robinson has no morals because no decent woman would seduce her husband’s business partners son and have an affair with him given the age difference and the morality of it. Mrs. Robinson is a character who will do whatever it takes to accomplish her goals especially to benefit her daughter, for example when she marries Mr. Robinson because she is pregnant with Elaine so that Elaine will have a father and a stable life. Another example of Mrs. Robinson doing whatever it takes to accomplish her goals is when she blackmails Benjamin with their affair to try to keep him from her daughter Elaine this is sticking her neck out because she will be embarrassed by this but this is also immoral after Benjamin trusted her.

Mike Nichols masterfully uses various cinematic elements and techniques such as editing, music, acting and powerful symbolism. In the film the editing is used to convey how Benjamin is feeling for example when Ben is in the hotel with Mrs. Robinson there is parallel cutting between Ben in the hotel and Ben in the pool showing that the two main aspects of his life were hanging out at his parents house and his affair with Mrs. Robinson it shows how they are both part of his life yet they are completely separate pieces. In this the two separate scenes are meshed together thanks to texture cut in which the editor matched up the texture and color of the bed and of the raft to seamlessly flow from one location to the other. The editing is a very effective technique in terms of portraying theme. The music used in the movie is exceptional the Simon and Garfunkal songs are used to emphasize the mood in the given scene for example in the opening scene when Ben is on the plane and the song is distant and portrays Ben’s loneliness. It was quite amazing that except for the song Mrs. Robinson that all the songs for recorded before this shows the mastery of the whole crew to pick songs that perfectly fit each scene. The music is quite possibly the most effective technique used to portray mood and theme. The acting is amazing in this film Dustin Hoffman did a wonderful job portray the lost graduate who well learned but could be rendered to a blubbering idiot when put in

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