"it's very comfortable just to drift here": My Ultimate Comfort Film, The Graduate

I could get very technical and film-nerdy about this week’s film, but this is ‘Fi’s Favourites’ and those of you following long enough know that is not the place for that. If you are looking to brush up on your knowledge and indulge your inner cinephile, then don’t worry; I promise you there is more than enough written about this film from a technical viewpoint. ‘Fi’s Favourites’ is not about academia. It’s about sharing films that have had a profound and lasting effect on me, films that have shaped how I see or think about things, and passing these stories on to others. This is the essence of film: sharing stories.

The Graduate is one of the most iconic and influential films of the late 60s. Even if you have not seen it, and I strongly encourage you to watch it, I would bet that you have heard and even seen the famous scene of the film’s main character Benjamin in the background being enclosed by Mrs Robinson’s leg bent and resting on the bar stool across from her; The “Mrs Robinson you’re trying to seduce me” scene.

I know I have just said that I will not get technical, but indulge me for a moment. For me, it is impossible to look at John Cassavetes’s A Woman Under The Influence and not see the influence Mike Nichol’s The Graduate must have had on it. The Graduate influenced and continues to influence an entire generation of filmmakers and set a standard for filmmaking. It, of course, changed cinema in its own subtle but effective way, as the best films often do.

I have read the Charles Webb book on which the film is based, so it is nice that I can make a comparison between the two. The book is wonderful and hilarious. It is a simple story that says so much about youth, melancholia and American suburban culture. Reading the book, you laugh and cringe, but you also empathise with Benjamin’s moment of pure disillusion. For me, the tale captures a melancholia that speaks to every generation. The film is very much in keeping with the narrative of the book, but, once you see the film, you can see Nichol and editor Sam O’steen have left their mark all over this film. I have never seen a film be so true to a book and yet so unbelievably unique and original.

Why do I love The Graduate? Clearly, I admire its innovation and influence on the film world, but I love it for its story. It's one of my comfort films; one that I return to when I am feeling unsure or even a little lost. I mean the tagline captures a moment that I think every person has gone through and continues to go through, particularly during the transition from their late teens into their twenties: “This is Benjamin, he’s a little worried about his future”. It is witty and simple, but very effective as we know exactly what he’s talking about.

We go through the first half of our lives with everything mapped out, with the end goal for most of us being to graduate college. This is when life begins (or so we think), but what we soon realise is that nothing falls into place and there is no magic beginning once the plan ends and we are faced instead with something very large: our futures and our lives. I am sure for some people this isn’t a problem and is even exciting, but for more neurotic folks, I’m sure you know exactly what I mean.

One factor that adds a whole other dimension to this film is the soundtrack. I mean, Simon and Garfunkel; who else could perfectly punctuate this wonderful story, adding lightness and humour as well as darkness when needed. Switching from sad to humorous undertones, they capture the mood of the film and blend in with the narrative beautifully.

The Graduate has what I believe to be one of the most romantic scenes in cinema. Elaine comes to Benjamin in a very vulnerable and intimate moment. She wears her heart on her sleeve, as does he, as he asks her to marry him as she tries to figure out her own emotions, realising that she is caught in a conundrum. It is a moment of pure, unedited, genuine young love; the kind we see on screen and read about in books, and hope that one day we experience in our own lives.

You can’t really mention The Graduate and not talk about Dustin Hoffman’s performance. He has gone on to give some incredible performances and is one of my all-time favourite actors, but this is my favourite. Benjamin seems like such a basic character, but there is so much going on; so much to capture. His face is hard to read, but everything is going on in his mind in the background. Benjamin has his own issues, but he and his story say so much about youth, America, love and depression. All of this needs to be portrayed in such a simple character. Benjamin could be anyone, but he could also never be anybody else. He is unique, but he is also any of us.

Without giving too much away, I have to speak about the film’s closing scenes. Not only one of my favourite moments in the film but such an iconic moment in cinematic history. For me, this is also one of the reasons that The Graduate is so connected to the American independent film movement. It is that break away from the picture-perfect studio era and a move into reality and grittiness. The studio era cut the cameras at the happy ending and, as far as the audience knows, everything turned out just as we wanted it to, but The Graduate keeps rolling, showing us that life is not about the happy ending, but the real ending, which is complex and messy. What happens when you graduate from college? What happens when the credits stop rolling? Life happens.

The Graduate is one of my all-time great comfort films and will continue to be forever. This is a film that speaks to every individual of every generation. It handles a difficult time in everyone’s life with humour and emotion, but it also changed the course of filmmaking forever and continues to inspire filmmakers to this day.