Film Viewing Notes:

THE GRADUATE

 

Resources for Teaching Film

OPENING SEQUENCE

 

1. Ben arrives in Los Angeles after graduating from college.

 

·         What do we learn about Ben in this opening scene? What is Ben's dominant        expression? What does that expression reveal about his character?

 

·         What is the point of the various moving shots of Ben?

 

·         Identify the MONTAGE in this section. What is the meaning of the combination of

      sound and image here?

 

2. Ben sitting behind an aquarium in his upstairs room at home.

 

·         Evaluate the COMPOSITION.

 

·         Identify any visual SYMBOLISM in this scene.

 

3. Ben goes downstairs and interacts with the party guests.

     

·         What does the director accomplish by keeping the camera on Ben?

 

·         Identify the SYMBOLISM in the conversation with the man who says, "I just want to

say one word to you," and then delivers it: "Plastics."

 

4. Ben upstairs again.

 

·         Evaluate the COMPOSITION of Ben alone and then with Mrs. Robinson in the room

with Ben.

 

·         What does the “key cut” have to do with the aquarium?

 

5. Ben drives Mrs. Robinson home. They have a drink in the bar.

 

·         Identify the SYMBOLISM of the setting (the bar scene)

 

·         NOTE CAMERA ANGLES used in this scene.

 

·         NOTE VISUAL SYMBOLS employed in the COMPOSITION.

 

6. Upstairs in Elaine’s room.

 

·         Evaluate the COMPOSITION in the interaction between Ben and Mrs. Robinson.

 

·         Analyze the EDITING when Mrs. Robinson enters the room with no clothes on.

 

7. Downstairs, Ben with Mr. Robinson.

 

·         What is the function of this scene?

 

·         How does the film technique emphasize the "power" of Mrs. Robinson?

 

BEN FALLS FOR MRS. ROBINSON

 

8. Ben’s birthday party.

 

·         Compare SHOTS of the father to SHOTS of the son in the first part of this scene. What

is the director trying to convey?

 

·         Identify the POINT OF VIEW SHOT that makes this scene famous.

 

·         How does SOUND work together with point of view in this scene?

 

·         Identify the VISUAL SYMBOLISM in this scene.

 

·         Why does the director switch from Ben's POINT OF VIEW to an objective point of view at the end of the scene?

 

9. Ben at the Taft Hotel.

 

·         Identify the sources of COMEDY in this scene.

 

·         Compare Ben's response to this "affair" with Mrs. Robinson's response.

 

10. Ben meets Mrs. Robinson in the hotel roam.

 

·         Evaluate the LIGHTING in this scene.

 

·         Identify the OBLIQUE ANGLE used by the director just before Mrs. Robinson seduces

Ben.

 

AFTER THE FALL

 

11. Ben lounging around at home.

 

·         Identify and evaluate the MONTAGE in this scene.

 

·         Note the CLOSEUPS of Ben in the scene. Identify any VISUAL SYMBOLISM.

 

12. The affair continues.

 

            Identify the new MONTAGE in this scene.

 

13. "Ben, what are you doing?"

 

·         Analyze the EDITING that sets up this scene.

 

·         Analyze the CAMERA ANGLES and LIGHTING used in this scene.

 

14. Ben and Mrs. Robinson in the hotel room.

 

·         Evaluate the LIGHTING in this scene. When and why does the light go on?  When and

why does the light go off?

 

·         Note the COMPOSITION when Mrs. Robinson lies on her side in the foreground and

Ben behind her in bed.

 

·         Evaluate the changing COMPOSITION when Ben jumps up from bed and the two

argue.

 

·         What VISUAL techniques show us how Mrs. Robinson is able to keep Ben with her even

after he tells her he will leave.

 

·         Explain the use of COLOR in the fade out at the end of this scene.

 

BEN MEETS ELAINE

 

l5. Ben's parents ask him to go out with Elaine.

 

      Note the CUT from this scene to the next. Why is it appropriate that Ben fall into the

      water?

 

16. Ben meets Elaine.

 

·         Why does the scene begin with a SHOT of Mrs. Robinson? Why does the director use a

TRACKING SHOT here?

 

·         Note the REACTION SHOT of Ben after he sees Elaine. What is special about it?

 

·         Evaluate the COMPOSITION when Ben, Mr. Robinson, and Mrs. Robinson are in the

frame.

 

·         Note the DISSOLVE used at the end of this scene. In what ways is that technique

SYMBOLIC?

 

17. Ben's date with Elaine.

 

·         Note the DOCUMENTARY style employed in this scene. Why does the director use the

low key lighting, when earlier he had filmed everything in a high key style?

 

·         Evaluate the COMPOSITION when Ben, Elaine, and the stripper are in the frame.

 

·         Note the COMPOSITION when only the stripper and Elaine are in the frame.

 

·         Note Ben's REACTION SHOT and his POINT OF VIEW shot of Elaine crying.  How do

they help us understand this scene?

 

·         Why is the conversation between Ben and Elaine filmed with a LONG SHOT? Why

not with a CLOSEUP?

 

18. Ben is ambushed by Mrs. Robinson.

 

·         Why is it raining in this scene?

 

·         Why does the director focus on Ben's MOVEMENT in this scene?

 

·         When Ben is upstairs with Elaine, note the DIVISION OF THE FRAME, and watch for

the door.

 

·         After Elaine throws Ben out, note the WIDE ANGLE SHOT of Mrs. Robinson and Ben in

the hallway. What does that reveal about their relationship?

 

·         Why does the director use the POINT OF VIEW SHOT of Mrs. Robinson (from Ben's

point of view)?

 

BEN ALONE AFTER THE SECRET IS REVEALED

 

19. Ben in his roam, hiding behind the aquarium.

 

      Identify the MONTAGE in this scene. Evaluate the MOOD created by its use.  CHART

      EACH USE OF THE MONTAGE in future scenes.

 

20. Ben rides the bus with Elaine.

 

·         Why does the director incorporate MOVEMENT (Ben's running) in this scene? CHART

EACH USE OF MOVEMENT in future scenes.

 

·         What is the function of the old woman on the bus? (She is sitting next to             Elaine.)

 

21. At the zoo with Elaine.

 

      After Elaine leaves, explain the shots between Ben, the chimpanzees, and the gorilla

      behind him.

 

22. Ben in his roam at Berkeley.

 

·         Why does Elaine burst into his room at this point in the film? Why does she scream

when Ben starts to tell her the truth?

 

·         Why does Elaine come back that night?

 

·         Compare the kiss between Ben and Elaine to the kiss between them outside the night

club on their first date.

 

BEN TAKES ACTION

 

23. Ben waiting at Elaine's apartment.

 

      Why does the director take up so much time with the shot of Elaine's roommate

      walking down the hall toward the camera?

 

24. Ben on the road.

 

·         Compare the SOUND level in this scene to that of the previous scene. Identify the

MONTAGE in this scene.

 

·         What effect does the continuing MONTAGE have in this scene? CHART the use of this

MONTAGE throughout the following scenes.

 

·         What interrupts the MONTAGE? Why? What effect does that have on our response to

Ben's plight?

 

·         When Ben stops at the garage, note how the RHYTHM of the MONTAGE continues in

the background.

 

25. Out of gas.

 

      Note the use of a telephoto lens SHOT when Ben is running toward the camera. What

      is the function of that SHOT here?

 

26. Ben arrives at the church.

 

·         Note the EDITING and SOUND techniques when he arrives at the church.  Evaluate the camera angles and editing used in this scene. Evaluate the visual symbolism in certain shots. Note the use of external sound throughout.

·         When Elaine and Ben get on the bus, note the REACTION SHOT of the passengers.

Then evaluate the REACTION SHOT of Ben and Elaine in the frame together. Note

the changing reactions of the two.

 

·         Why are they filmed in the FRAME together? Why not EDITED? Why does the music "Sounds of Silence" begin? How do you account for the ending shot of the film?

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Worksheet: THE GRADUATE

 

1.       What film techniques does the director employ to reveal Ben's character and emotional frame of mind at the beginning of the film?

 

 

 

2.       What example of mise en scene dominates the encounter between Ben and Mrs. Robinson at the bar in the Robinson's home?  What example of editing climaxes the seduction scene? 

 

 

 

3.       Why does the director choose to emphasize Mrs. Robinson with the closeup near the end of Scene 5, showing her sitting alone at the bar while Mr. Robinson takes Ben tm the door?

 

 

4.       What effect was created when the director switched from first person point of view in Scene 6 to third person point of view, showing Ben lying at the bottom of the pool in his scuba outfit?  Why is the transition to the beginning of Scene 7 an appropriate one?

 

 

 

5.       How does the action of Scenes 9 and 10 show that Ben has changed?  What film technique does the director employ to condense time and help viewers follow the progress of Ben's affair?

 

 

 

6.              How does Mrs. Robinson's seduction of Ben in Scene 11 differ from her earlier seduction of him in Scene 8?  Why does Ben tell her at the end of Scene 11, "Let's not talk about it."

 

7.       Why is the scene in the sleazy strip joint a turning point in the film for Ben?

 

 

8.       What film techniques are employed in scene 16 (when the three major characters come together for the climactic and tragic revelation of Ben and Mrs. Robinson's secret)?

 

 

 

9.       How does the music and editing of the following scenes provide an appropriate transition from the high energy of the preceding climactic scene?

 

 

10.     In what ways is Ben a different character in this last part of the film?  What scenes shot his changed character most clearly?

 

 

 

11.     What is your interpretation of the ending scene (Ben and Elaine on the bus together)? 

 

Notes/Worksheet written by Robert E. Yahnke

  Professor, General College, Univ. of Minnesota

  Copyright by Robert E. Yahnke, © 2001

  Permission granted for reprinting for educational use only