The Graduate
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Social Context
• 1960s USA: a period of change
• Transition between conservative 50’s
and radical 1970s
• Vietnam War 1961 - 75
• Radicalised American youth - vets and
draft resisters
• Youth culture and distrust of adult
world
2
Cinematic context
The “Old Hollywood”
- domination by traditional studios:
MGM, Fox, Paramount, RKO, Warner
Bros
Vertical integration: owned production,
distribution and exhibition (cinemas)
3
Cinematic context
Post-WW2 decline of Hollywood
•
“Paramount Case”
1948 - US Dept of Justice forced end
to monopolistic practices - studios had to sell
their cinemas
• Post-war shift to suburbs
• Baby boom
• Rise of television
• Enormous drop in cinema attendance - gradual
decline of whole Hollywood Studio system
4
Cinematic context
1950’s - 1960’s; period of uncertainty as
Hollywood tried to come to terms with new
situation
Attempt to compete against TV by
increased use of colour, wide-screen etc
Some successes but by 1960s Hollywood
losing touch with audience, esp youth
audience
5
Cinematic context
“New Hollywood”
(aka “post-classical Hollywood”)
Brief period after 1967
- Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate (perhaps most “zeitgeisty” of the films of
this era)
- The Graduate grossed $100m+ to make it
one of top 5 films in decade
This period over by 1980 (Heaven’s Gate)
6
Cinematic context
New generation of young, cinema-crazed
filmmakers (“baby boomers” coming of age)
came to prominence in US, drastically changing
not only way Hollywood films produced but also
kinds of films made.
- Influence of “auteurism” and French Nouvelle
Vague
- Studio chiefs gave their head - including final
cut
7
Cinematic context
Changes in censorship arrangements
“Hay’s Production Code” coming to an end by
1966 - had established from 1930’s what films
allowed to do and not to do
eg couple on a bed (even married) - one foot on
the floor
No “lascivious kissing”, no miscegenation
1968 - new certification system introduced
The Graduate in between - more daring but
still studio restrictions (Mrs Robinson’s “nude”
scene
8
- done with almost subliminal speed)
Cinematic context
“New Hollywood” coming to an end by 1975 (Jaws
Star Wars), 1977
• unprecedented box-office success jumpstarted
Hollywood's blockbuster mentality
• effectively ending New Hollywood reign of
smaller, idiosyncratic, stylistically adventurous
films films.
eg Chinatown, The Last Picture Show, The
Godfather, Taxi Driver, Mash, American Graffiti,
Dog Day Afternoon
9
Cinematic context
Ultimate demise came after a string of
self-indulgent films which failed at boxoffice
• eg New York New York (1977); Popeye
(1980)
• then financial disaster of Michael Cimino’s
Heaven’s Gate (1980) which bankrupted
United Artists and resulted in its sale to
MGM
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Mike Nichols (b. 1931)
• As well as The Graduate,
most prominent films:
Who’s Afraid of Virginia
Wolf (1966), Carnal
Knowledge (1971), Silkwood
(1983), Working Girl
(1988),
Postcards from the Edge (1990), Regarding
Henry (1991), Primary Colours (1998), Angels
in America (TV miniseries) (2003)
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The Graduate
An iconic film even today - as evidenced
by its intertextual profile
• cf Renault Clio advert
• cf The Simpsons
• cf Wayne’s World 2
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The Graduate
• Received seven Academy Award
nominations:
Best Director, Best Picture, Actor,
Actress, Supporting Actress, Adapted
Screenplay, and Cinematography.
Mike Nichols picked up its only award,
for directing.
13
The Graduate
• Released during “summer of love” 1967,
immediately perceived as emblem of 60’s
generation - in revolt against parents’ culture
and values
• Based on Charles Webb’s novel (Webb v much
“counter-cultural”)
• Launched Dustin Hoffman’s career
14
The Graduate
Main Themes
•
•
•
•
•
•
Entrapment
Isolation
Alienation
Generation gap
Coming of Age
Romance (“love can conquer all.”)
Ben lacks direction in life, unable to communicate with
those around him.
Themes are conveyed in the formal qualities of the
film.
15
Mise en scene and cinematography
• Ben's isolation and entrapment reflected in the
numerous glass motifs which are used to divide Ben
from others; also many images of water
• Entrapment in images of aquarium
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Mise en scene and cinematography
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Mise en scene and cinematography
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Mise en scene and cinematography
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Mise en scene and cinematography
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Mise en scene and cinematography
Glass, reflection, water
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Mise en scene and cinematography
Glass, reflection, water
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Mise en scene and cinematography
Glass, reflection, water
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Mise en scene and cinematography
Glass, reflection, water
24
Mise en scene and cinematography
• Nichols' camera also veers from extreme
long shots of Ben alone in wide, open
spaces to excessive close-ups and
claustrophobic framing devices, allowing
the
viewer
to
empathise
with
protagonist.
25
Mise en scene and
cinematography
eg opening (post credit) sequence Ben's
parents shroud our view by stepping in
front of the camera and oppressing him
visually. We are equally as frustrated as
Ben
eg tight claustrophobic framing when the
guests want to speak to him
Clip 2
26
Mise en scene and cinematography
• Early shot when Mrs. Robinson is
asking Ben for lift home, casually
tosses keys into the fish tank behind
him - reveals Mrs. Robinson's
immediate control over Ben.
Clip 3
27
Mise en scene and
cinematography
• Scene at the Robinson's house, immediately
following Mrs. Robinson's attempted seduction
as Ben talking with Mr. Robinson.
• The two of them talking in foreground, when
Mrs. R finally seen descending the stairs. She
is shot walking in the distance right between
Ben and Mr. Robinson, creating interesting
visual effect, as if being shared, unassumingly,
between the two conversing men.
28
Cinematography and Mise en scene
• Later in same scene, Mr. Robinson continues
talking to Ben while they walk to door together.
Mrs. Robinson is in focus in the foreground as Ben
and Mr. Robinson seen walking down hall becoming
ever blurrier in lens. (Use of focal shift)
• Sets up interesting image, seeing the fatherly arm
around Ben as they walk away, but still observing
Mrs. R's powerful look into camera, generating
intriguing effect, - makes audience feel as
uncomfortable as Ben in this awkward situation.
29
Mise en scene and cinematography
• Later in the
film, Mrs R
ceases to be
the youthfullooking
seductress
after her
daughter's
entrance
reminds her
of her age.
30
Mise en scene and cinematography
Use of Zoom
Opening (credit) sequence
CU on Ben (we expect long establishing shot)
Reverse zoom - we see that he is in fact in a crowd emphasises his isolation
31
Mise en scene and cinematography
Use of Zoom
When Elaine realises Ben has been having sex
with her mother, she screams at him to leave.
Mrs Robinson is framed in CU, camera then
zooms back to reveal Ben in the foreground as
she says “Goodbye, Benjamin”
Zoom suggests a distance now between them reinforced by use of wide-angle lens
Clip 7
32
Mise en scene and cinematography
Use of Zoom
• Ben goes to Berkeley in search of Elaine, walks
through campus in LS sits on the edge of a fountain
to wait. Zoom out (via a time-lapse dissolve) into an
even more impressive shot, showing entire campus as
classes start, Ben being focal point.
• Then shown in MS on fountain, until stands up and
turns around, where camera then quickly zooms past
his shoulder, in an eye line match, to Elaine all the
way across campus.
33
Mise en scene and cinematography
Use of Zoom
• When Ben arrives to take out Elaine, the depth
of Mrs R’s disapproval expressed in slow zoom
LS to CU - if looks could kill!
• (starts with overlapping sound of doorbell)
• Note also moronic gameshow on TV in
background - Mr R seems to be enjoying it,
Mrs R bored rigid - emphasising her alienation
Clip 9
34
Mise en scene and cinematography
Use of Zoom
Ben in the Robinson's bedroom looking
desperately for Elaine.
While Mrs. R is calling police, v effective zoom
from LS to almost CU of Mrs. R, enhancing
tension of scene and displaying her continuing
power over Ben.
Very next frame LS of Ben standing in ragged
disbelief of situation, almost making him blend in
background of bedroom, creating very
insignificant feel to Ben's reckless plight.
Clip 10
35
Cinematography and Mise en scene
Rack focus
• Rack focus used when Ben trying to tell
Elaine identity of the “older woman”. He
looks at Mrs Robinson who is distraught as
Elaine is shocked
• Note way Elaine’s face remains out of
focus, connoting her shock and confusion
Clip 11
36
Cinematography and Mise en scene
• Mrs Robinson's dominant, predatory nature
expressed through costume, especially the
animal print motifs on her clothes
(motif discarded after she has ‘devoured
her prey’)
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
Telephoto lens
By using a telephoto lens, Benjamin - desperately
trying to “get to the church on time” - appears to
be “running on the spot”
Connotes feeling of panic and dread that he will be
too late
Clip 12
44
Mise en scene and cinematography
• Ben's clothing and body
language progress from the
uptight conformity of suit
and tie . . .
… to a laid-back attitude,
complete with shades and
cigarette, after his affair with
Mrs Robinson has begun
45
Cinematography and Mise en scene
Use of colour
Mrs Robinson and Elaine differentiated by
colour:
Elaine often shown in pink …
46
Cinematography and Mise en scene
Use of colour
… while Mrs Robinson frequently in black
47
Cinematography and Mise en scene
Graphic match between Ben and toy frogman . . .
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Cinematography and Mise en scene
… and Ben as toy frogman.
49
Editing
Montage Sequence showing Ben’s relationship with
Mrs R over summer
Scene preceded by Ben’s seduction by Mrs R in room in
Taft Hotel – once again wearing animal prints (this
time underwear) connoting predator. When she makes
to dress and leave, suggesting he is “inadequate”, he
shouts “Don’t move!” and slams the door shut (her
strategy has worked).
50
Editing
Montage:
Sequence showing Ben’s relationship with Mrs R over
summer (36.20 - 41.07)
•
Scene begins to accompaniment of S and G’s
“Sounds of Silence” on soundtrack
•
Long FADE IN, to reveal swimming pool with
sunlight glistening on surface
•
DISSOLVE to Ben lying in the pool in an
I
inflatable raft
•
wearing wraparound sun-glasses (to shut out
external world?)
•
DISSOLVE to water then another dissolve to Ben lying
back drinking beer; he is drifting (metaphor?) with
movement of water.
Clip 13
51
Editing
Summer Montage:
Montage of images linked by clever
transitional devices, suggests the emptiness of
his life. Walks back and forth transparently
between these two pursuits and worlds – his
house and the Taft Hotel.
52
Editing
Summer Montage:
Enters Braddock home from pool, emerging
into hotel room with Mrs. Robinson [a Hotel
Taft towel hangs on the bathroom door].
He blankly stares into space against black
background - image emphasises sterile
environment. Rises from bed to shut dining
room door, briefly glimpsing parents eating
dinner.
Clip 14
53
Editing
Summer Montage:
After lying down again in bed, is back in the Taft
Hotel bedroom. A female figure walks past in front
of him, dresses, and leaves room. Then, he leaves his
own bedroom, passes his mother, and goes for a swim
in the backyard pool.
One of their many sexual contacts symbolized by his
diving up onto a inflatable rubber pool raft inter-cut
with his landing on top of Mrs. Robinson in bed.
Clip 15
54
Editing
Summer Montage: :
In another disorienting cut from their sexual
coupling to Ben’s lounging on a raft in the backyard
pool, he turns to his despairing father who stands
over him and questions his continued laziness and
lack of direction.
Father insists on knowing the point of his four years
of college - without plans for graduate school or a
career. He peers through his dark sunglasses at the
silhouette of his father above him:
Clip 16
55
Editing
Summer Montage:
“Drifting” is what he is doing in figurative
sense and is unable to communicate with his
parents
56
Editing
Juxtaposition
Scene when Ben shaving follows montage sequence.
Dissolve from Mrs R to Ben shaving in bathroom
Mother - of similar age to Mrs R - asking him what
he’s been up to over the summer
Note her “‘decolletée” state - again linking her to
Mrs Robinson
Clip 17
57
Editing
Nichols undermines conventional 'passing of
time' techniques used in cinema
eg blurring Ben's summer activities from
home to hotel room seamlessly to confuse the
viewer - prevents clear distinction between
mother and Mrs Robinson
illustrates the meaningless qualities of the
affair: Ben passively drifts through events,
rather than actively enjoying the liaison.
58
Editing
Nichols experiments with overt editing techniques (as
opposed to “invisible” continuity editing principles in
force in Hollywood for decades) techniques which
draw attention to themselves)
eg Ben's double-take after being confronted with Mrs
Robinson naked, and the jarring snippets of her naked
body as he desperately tries not to devour the sight.
Technique also heightens the unnatural, uncomfortable
nature of this union.
Clip 18
59
Editing
Scene of Mrs Robinson naked in front of Ben
- done almost subliminally, connoting Ben’s sense of
panic and confusion …
… while at same time not pushing too far beyond the
strictures of the recently-redundant Hayes Office
and its production code regarding scenes of a sexual
nature
Clip 19
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Sound
The Graduate innovatively uses silence as sound
effect
POV shots of Ben often accompanied by absence
of natural sound whenever Ben isn't listening allows us to see and hear from a character's
perspective.
Highlights the importance of diegetic and nondiegetic sound to our understanding of cinema.
Clip 20
61
Sound
Overlapping sound
One of Nichol’s favoured tropes in this film
eg leaving the Robinsons’
eg long overlap between Ben under water in diving
suit and phoning Mrs Robinson
Eg Ben again under water overlapping with arriving
at the Robinsons’ to pick up Elaine
Creates an almost dreamlike quality
Clip 21
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Sound
Music
Innovative use of popular music, in particular
already recorded tracks - Simon & Garfunkel
songs came from two existing albums (“Sound
of Silence; “Scarborough Fair”) - only “Mrs
Robinson” added
Later various directors, eg Scorsese, used
existing songs as soundtrack
63
Sound
Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack relates directly
to film's themes and plot,
eg
opening “Sound Of Silence” - becomes motif
for Ben's dissatisfaction throughout film
Clip 22
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Sound
Use of “mickeymousing”
“Mrs Robinson” track losing steam as Ben’s car
runs out of petrol (good example of
mickeymousing)
Clip 23
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Sound
The ending: is it a happy one?
After leaving church and getting on bus,
transformation of emotions from triumphalism
at their victory and daring to … silence. For
first time since their relationship, they have
nothing to say to each other
Use of sound alone questions happy ending.
"Hello darkness my old friend" revived as both
Ben and Elaine sit silently on a journey to
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nowhere
Sound
In our last image of them, looking away from
each other rather than into each others’ eyes
Are they - as Nichols once commented heading towards roles resembling their
parents’?
Clip 24
67
Questions for Discussion
1.
.
There are many images of water and glass
throughout this film. Think of the
swimming pool, the fishbowl in Ben’s room,
Ben’s scuba mask, his sunglasses, and the
many paintings, tabletops, and windows that
reflect, reveal, or cover.
Are they symbolic images?
Are they merely part of Ben’s visible world?
How do they function in the film?
68
Questions for Discussion
2.
.
The Graduate is divided into two parts.
There are two settings (Los Angeles and
Berkeley), two generations and two lifestyles, two women, two sides to Benjamin,
and perhaps two types of storytelling
(comedy/satire and romance).
Describe these contrasting aspects of the
film. How are they related to each other
and to the film’s main themes?
69
Questions for Discussion
3.
.
Nichols directing style is stamped on
every shot in the film, such as close-ups
and overlapping sound transitions.
How innovative is the film from a
technical point of view?
How effectively does Nichols use film
techniques?
70
Questions for Discussion
4.
.
The first image in The Graduate is a
close-up of Ben’s face. Then we see that
he’s alone on an airplane.
How else does the film emphasise his
solitude, his alienation from those around
him?
What accounts for his sense of isolation?
Do you think he ever overcomes this
feeling?
71
Questions for Discussion
5.
.
Nichols is regarded as a “mise en scene”
director (ie with a very noticeable style, a
“look”). Colours are associated with
certain characters in the movie. Mrs.
Robinson often wears black and animal
prints. Elaine appears in pink. The friends
of Ben’s parents are dressed in whites and
blues.
How is colour/costume used through the
film? What is the effect?
72
Questions for Discussion
6.
.
Is it a happy ending?
What lies ahead for the couple?
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