This 1967 all-time classic swiftly became both a commercial and critical blockbuster upon its release and has held its own ever since.
Almost 60 years after it was made this cinematic classic is still gathering rave reviews from critics.
Mike Nichols’ 1967 indie romantic comedy drama, The Graduate, has been hailed as “feels as sly, modern and bracing as it must have in 1967”. And now it will be broadcast on BBC One on Saturday, April 12.
With an impressive 87 percent average on Rotten Tomatoes, this Dustin Hoffman classic, also starring Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross, centres around 21-year-old Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate adrift without direction. He is seduced by the older, married Mrs. Robinson – his father’s law firm partner’s wife – only to, unexpectedly, fall in love with her daughter, Elaine.
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The Graduate was released on December 21, 1967, and swiftly became both a commercial and critical block-buster, earning $104.9 million in the United States and Canada, making it the highest-grossing film of 1967 in North America, as well as receiving glowing critical praise. Having received seven nominations at the 40th Academy Awards, including for Best Picture and Best Director, The Graduate bagged the coveted award for the latter.
The film’s humour knows no bounds, with one critic remarking: “It isn’t often one gets even half a film as funny as this,” while another critic said of the 1960s classic: “A landmark motion picture. Experimental in its approach, candid about sex, and vicious in its attacks on American conformity and consumerism (“Plastics”).”
Described as a “cruel comedy with a delicious light touch”, The Graduate is based on Charles Webb’s 1963 novella of the same name, written by the author shortly after he graduated from Williams College.
The film’s screenplay was penned by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham and it also significantly boosted musical duo Simon and Garfunkel’s fame, with their tracks Mrs. Robinson and Scarborough Fair/Canticle going on to become major hits.
So mammoth was the success of Mrs. Robinson that it reached number one on the pop singles chart and spent three weeks there. The track also became the first rock and roll song to bag a Grammy and took home the coveted Record of the Year award during the 1969 ceremony.
Audience reviews for The Graduate back its glowing critical acclaim, with one viewer commenting: “This movie has aged surprisingly well, the storytelling and writing is done beautifully. The closeups and constant references to water and nature create a feeling of worry and desperation that has really carried over the years.”
Another audience review for the film reads: “This film is a must watch as it is iconic and is a pop culture reference in many other pieces of media. Overall, this was a great commentary of the conformity of the 60’s and gave me a good laugh.”
One reviewer felt the movie’s music severely boosted its likeability, remarking: “The Graduate was an interesting film to say the least. What stood out to me was the soundtrack, I found it to be a key strength of the film,” while another review stated: “This movie is perfect escapism with maybe the best soundtrack of all times. A fun trip back to the 1960s, as well as a timeless coming of age story.”
Showering high praise on the film, one audience reviewer said: “WOW! This movie is the closest thing to perfection in the whole cinema history. The movie is a visual gem, Its amazing how a movie made in 1967 is more beautiful than nowadays movies which use newer technology. Here every camera shot is a beauty.
“The soundtrack is a piece of art. Probably the best combination of music and film, its wonderful. There is no acting. There are just real people living on the screen. Extremely funny, making even the saddest person to laugh.”
Regarded as an iconic love story across the board, one review for the film said: “One of the top 5 love stories of all time,” while another audience member felt the movie is “an absolute classic”, commenting: “This is clearly one of the all time great movies. It’s completely entertaining, a classic soundtrack, it’s over 50 years old and still feels fresh. If you haven’t seen it and like movies even a little bit you owe it to yourself to give it a watch.”
The Graduate will be broadcast on BBC One on Saturday, April 12, at 11:55pm.