Verified Document

Graduate 1967 Is One Of Film Review

Related Topics:

The second important theme in the movie is about extra-marital affairs. When we study closely we notice something odd. In this movie, Mr. Robinson appears rather relaxed about the whole issue of his wife having an affair even though he temporarily gets upset. It is impossible to imagine that he didn't know about his wife's affairs and it is also impossible to think that this was the first ever time that she pursued another man for she clearly looked an expert in the area. She was confident of her ability to seduce a man and that doesn't come from a one-time affair. Hence it is strange that Mr. Robinson would still choose to be with her despite her infidelity.

This is what brings us to a study which states that fidelity in older couples is not as serious an issue as it is at the beginning of a marriage. In other words, as time passes and marriage becomes old, both partners become rather tolerant of extra marital affairs. This is what the study found and when applied to this movie, it appears to be quite true. What gives rise to this kind of tolerance is beyond me but I can imagine that both partners come to a point where they understand that despite their best intentions they may go astray now and then because of unmet needs and desires. "90% of women and 80% of men in her survey expected sexual exclusivity at the point of their first marriage but during marriage they became more tolerant and less insistent on sexual fidelity." (Glass, Wright, 1992)

When we watch this movie and compare the study to the behavior of Mr....

Robinson, we realize that this may actually be true. He had become tolerant of his wife's behavior because of the fact that it was sexual infidelity and not infidelity per se. He allowed her such transgressions because he knew he couldn't match her sexual appetite and for the sake of keeping his marriage intact, he turned a blind eye to the whole thing. It is true that Mrs. Robinson makes up a story about how Brad tried to seduce her and convinced her husband that she was not the one at fault but clearly Mr. Robinson is in denial. He cannot possibly remain oblivious to his wife's less than faithful behavior.
In short, while Graduate received rave reviews and was considered a cultural icon of its time, the movie may fail to appeal to many modern viewers because they are more used to the "older-woman younger-man" concept than people in the 60s were. The most outstanding factor of the movie is Dustin Hoffman's performance as a young lost soul who is completely directionless and rudderless. He does an amazing job essaying an otherwise complex role. While the movie is enjoyable and I liked it more the second time I watched it, I still believe that for a modern viewer to truly appreciate this movie, he must study the movie in the context of 60s pop culture.

References

Glass, SP, & Wright, TL (1992). Justifications for extramarital relationships: The association between attitudes, behaviors, and gender, Journal of Sex Research

Donna, Freydkin. Cougars slink their way into films, music and TV. USA Today

Sources used in this document:
References

Glass, SP, & Wright, TL (1992). Justifications for extramarital relationships: The association between attitudes, behaviors, and gender, Journal of Sex Research

Donna, Freydkin. Cougars slink their way into films, music and TV. USA Today
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Character Identification: The Graduate 1967 "Plastics." Although...
Words: 673 Length: 2 Document Type: Thesis

Character identification: The Graduate (1967) "Plastics." Although The Graduate was made in 1967, it is difficult not to identify with the protagonist Benjamin Braddock. Benjamin is a recent college graduate, adrift in the world and uncertain of his life's purpose. Benjamin finds himself constantly pressured by the adults in his life to select a stable career path and to settle down. Benjamin is disturbed by the emptiness and misery of the

Graduate Mike Nichols, 1967 Centers on a
Words: 2153 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967) centers on a coming-of-age story in a contemporary context used to satirize aspects of modern life and to highlight the conflict between generations that marked the late 1960s. The changes that come over the central character can be seen as a vision of the creation of a revolutionary, though a revolutionary without a clear cause to support and one who in the end has no

Graduate and the New Left
Words: 3275 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

Graduate and the New Left In the United States in the 1960s, the nation was going through a change both in the psychological and sociological makeup of the population. Everything about the country was changing quickly, right down to the very moral code which makes up the identity of a culture. The American Dream and the belief that everyone could become successful if they were willing to work hard and

Second Reconstructions One of the Most Dramatic
Words: 6309 Length: 14 Document Type: Term Paper

Second Reconstructions One of the most dramatic consequences of the Civil War and Reconstruction was that the South was effectively driven from national power for roughly six decades. Southerners no longer claimed the presidency, wielded much power on the Supreme Court, or made their influence strongly felt in Congress But beginning in the 1930s, the South was able to flex more and more political muscle, and by the 1970s some

Raymond Carver When One Is Seeking a
Words: 7255 Length: 26 Document Type: Term Paper

Raymond Carver When one is seeking a bright, cheerily optimistic view of the world one does not automatically turn to the works of Raymond Carver. The short story writer - whom many critics cite as being the greatest master of that form since Ernest Hemingway - filled his pages with anger and discontent, despair and loss, desperation and the demons of addiction. The overall tone of his work is certainly dark.

HR System One of the
Words: 4126 Length: 12 Document Type: Research Paper

(Kroon, 1995) Once the plan has been created, you must begin training / development as soon as possible. This means, that HR personnel must begin to training the staff on the new policies and procedures that will be implemented. Under ideal circumstances, the HR department would want to begin training as soon as possible. This is because there will be a window, between the time frame that the merger is

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now