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The Spectacle Blog
Thanks to Jeffrey Lord for pinning the tail on The Graduate, that odious donkey of a movie. Even in 1967, well before I became a conservative, I thought the movie was preposterous. I couldn’t understand what all the hooraying was about.
Dustin Hoffman’s near catatonic Ben Braddock is not just a moron. He’s a pluperfect moron. At least Mrs. Robinson knows what she wants to do with her time. And this opera buffa is spun out to the childish music and mawkish libretto from Simon and Doofunkle. Hard to imagine a bigger waste of two hours (unless of course this is Dustin Hoffman Week at TAS and Lord will next strap on the loathsome Midnight Cowboy).
The only thing worth knowing that we took away from Graduate is that the late Anne Bancroft could light up even bad material.
Mike G| 9.11.12 @ 4:07PM
You're right, Mr. Thorberry. I was only a kid when the movie came out, and my parents wouldn't allow me to see it. As I've grown older older, I've tried to see it several times, but I just can't get through all of it. I simply find the premise too inane to waste my time and gave up, several years ago, trying to view the movie.
Bob Grant| 9.11.12 @ 5:02PM
Maybe the movie was a little counter-cultural but I must admit, I liked it.
Benjamin Braddock living the dream and gets the girl in the end.
That said, Dustin Hoffman was pretty wooden throughout the movie. His performance makes one of Kevin Costner's animated.
Martin| 9.11.12 @ 5:51PM
Now I loved the movie and indeed my first wife was largely based on it -- looked like Anne Bancroft and was several years older than me -- yummy! But I could never understand why Benjamin gives up the delicious Mrs Robinson to go with her vapid daughter.
And I'm both middle class and right wing, as well as having been 17, just the right age, when The Graduate came out.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 9.11.12 @ 9:02PM
Please pardon me, as I stroll around the grounds until I feel at home...
Occam's Tool| 9.17.12 @ 2:45PM
Of course it was wooden and stupid---he was playing an Ivy League humanities graduate! (Princeton)