Cinematography Techniques In The Graduate By Mike Nichols

The Graduate (1967), produced by Mike Nichols, tells the story of Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) who has just finished college and heads back home to figure out what he wants to do with his life. Once home, he soon begins an affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), who gives him much needed confidence. Later, he is forced to by his family to take her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross), out on a date. After this date, Ben realizes he loves Elaine and not her mother. Eventually, Elaine finds out about this taboo relationship and does not take the news well. Ben then follows her to Berkeley to try to win her back, but her parents force her to marry her current boyfriend to get Ben out of the picture permanently. Ben then decides to stop the wedding in a chaotic and pivotal ending scene of the film. The decision Elaine makes in this scene will ruin her relationship with her parents and will begin a life with Ben, who she has only been on one date with. The acting by Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross, cinematography techniques of zooming and cuts, and use of sound all add to the success of this pivotal scene, where Ben and Elaine risk the relationships of their families to finally be
When Ben is calling for Elaine and the camera is on her, all the viewer can hear is Ben’s voice. The camera cuts to images of her mother, father, and fiancé all yelling at her, but there is no sound for their voices. Ben’s voice is the primary thing able to be heard, symbolizing Elaine’s desire for Ben and nobody else. Later while on the bus, “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel plays as the camera stays on their changing expressions. This song is played multiple times throughout the movie while Ben is experiencing a change in his life. Since the two have now made a significant life decision, playing “The Sound of Silence” was appropriate to show this pivotal