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The Graduate is directed by Mike Nichols (Charlie Wilson’s
War) and stars Dustin Hoffman (All the President’s Men),
Katharine Ross (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), Anne
Bancroft (Silent Movie), and Murray Hamilton (Jaws.) The
music for the film is by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. The
film is based on the novel of the same name from 1962. ***
Benjamin Braddock has just returned from back east,
having graduated from college. Now pondering his future,
he reluctantly begins having an affair with Mrs. Robinson,
the wife of his father’s business partner. Things take a
turbulent turn when Ben falls for Elaine, Mrs. Robinson’s
daughter – and she’ll do what it takes to prevent Ben from
having a relationship with her child. Obsessed with his
newfound love interest, though, Ben will pursue Elaine by
any means necessary. ***
The Graduate is a classic American film. The cast is
top-notch, and Mike Nichols’ direction and classic imagery
makes this one an unforgettable film. Even if you’ve never
seen the movie, its place in pop culture can’t be avoided
or denied. ***
The cast of the Graduate is one of the greatest ever
assembled for an American film. Obviously, the true stand-out
here is a young Dustin Hoffman as our hero. Unlike so many
actors before, he doesn’t play this character like a cool
guy that has all the answers. He makes Ben into a timid,
nervous young man who is uncertain of his future and shows
it in every frame of the film. His devotion later in the
film to win over Elaine only further enhances his character,
and makes Hoffman’s portrayal all the more timeless. And
who could forget Anne Bancroft’s portrayal of Mrs. Robinson?
Bancroft was largely a stage actress prior to this film,
and her experience in that field translates will to the
big screen with her classic performance here. Other terrific
performances include Murray Hamilton (who you probably know
best as the mayor from Jaws) as Mr. Robinson, and Katharine
Ross as Elaine Robinson. Also, keep an eye out for a cameo
by a young Richard Dreyfuss. ***
The other side of the camera is equally skilled. Mike
Nichols hadn’t made a ton of movies when he directed the
Graduate, but like Bancroft, he had plenty of stage experience.
It’s Nichols’ style of imagery that more-or-less has made
this film the classic it is. There is seldom a scene in
the movie that wouldn’t be worth framing and hanging on
your wall. Many classic frames will be planted in your brain
long after you’re done watching the movie – The POV shots
of Ben in the swimming pool in diving gear, a panning-out
shot of a college campus, the now classic “through the legs”
camera angle during Ben’s classic response to Mrs. Robinson’s
initial advancement, the list goes on. ***
Trivia: It is frequently stated that the Simon and Garfunkel
song Mrs. Robinson comes from this film. This is only half
true. The version that appears in the film is unfinished,
and only a few lines of the chorus, none of the verses,
are sung. Additionally, the chorus lines sung differ from
the final version of the film, which would not be completed
until 1968, the following year. ---
Image and Sound:
Benjamin Braddock may have graduated from college, but
this 1080p transfer is a high-school dropout. Detail is
weak throughout the film, and some print damage and dirt
can be spotted throughout. An occasional shot will be of
HD quality, but I’m pretty sure I counted less than 10 of
these throughout the film, and even then they don’t compete
with the better transfers of films from the same era. Having
compared it to the DVD copy that was included, I can honestly
say this version is an upgrade, but not much of one. If
you’re planning on upgrading your old DVD copy based on
picture quality alone, don’t. You’re fine upconverting your
DVD. MGM fails to seduce me with this lackluster transfer.
***
Audio is where the Blu-Ray truly shines. The mix comes
to life whenever Simon and Garfunkel’s songs take center
stage. Dialogue is louder and clearer than the old DVD,
and a few scenes roar to life like on no earlier presentation
– just watch the strip club scene. The drum beats in that
scene will bring your speakers to life as few titles from
this era do. On this Blu-Ray, The Sounds of Silence are
anything but silent. It’s just a shame the video can’t match
the audio.
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