Here's to you Mr. Ebert

"Mrs. Robinson, if you don't mind my saying so, this conversation is getting a little strange"

I stumbled across and old review of The Graduate by Roger Ebert today. No. Not that old. I'm talking 1997 when Mr. Ebert reviewed the 30th anniversary release of the film. The irony contained within is tangible.

First off, The Graduate is one my favorite films of all time. Seriously, It would be hard to overstate my love for this movie, and I'm known for my ability to exaggerate. What I'm trying to say is I'm biased. Moving on.

Roger Ebert is old.

When the he first reviewed this movie it would seem he liked it. He liked it a lot. Here's an example: As Benjamin and Elaine escaped in that bus at the end of The Graduate, I cheered, the first time I saw the movie.

Ah. The first time he says. However, times have changed the man as they must change us all. He proceeds to explain how wisdom has prevailed in his golden years. He now sees that the parents were in the right all along. Benjamin is simply a typical self-centered mentally challenged young'n. As Mr. Ebert states, Anyone with average intelligence should have known, in 1967, that the word plastics contained valuable advice. Clearly this generation gap the movie portrays is patently false.



"To be perfectly honest she doesn't like me"

Show it to a young Roger Ebert. He Cheers. Show it to an old Roger Ebert. He rejects the values as false. What's incredible here, what's mind blowing to me, is that he doesn't see how this neatly proves the entire point that he is dismissing. The disparity of views (his own views!) clearly shows the generation gap.

When does it happen? When do people forget what it's like to live for something other than the values of society and adherence to an ancient set of rules? When do our passions cease to be a factor in our lives? When do we stop wanting our lives to be... how did Benjamin put it? Different. It seems to happen to everyone at some point.



"Well, I would say that I'm just drifting. Here in the pool"

I'm not young myself, and far from championing the film's anti establishment themes I actually see Benjamin's actions as incredibly foolish. Of course that isn't the point, and I don't believe it was Mike Nichol's point when he made this movie.

Like most films, the ending is vital to understanding any message the artists might have. Watch it and you see Benjamin's expression of exuberance turn blank. He begins to look uncomfortable. Elaine looks at him and as she turns back to the front of the bus her face begins to mirror his. They both stare in awkward silence to the front of the bus. Sitting apart from each other on the bench the silence continues and the bus rolls on towards the horizon and an uncertain future.



"Goddamn that's great. So old Elaine Robinson got started in a Ford"

So what is the point? Is there one? Benjamin and Elaine had a lot going for them if they just played by the rules. A high paying and soul crunching career in plastics for Benjamin. A loveless but financially stable and socially acceptable marriage for Elaine. They both rebelled against their fates and had the daring to seek something more. Like real life though, there's no fairy tale ending to this picture. Maybe they come to regret their decisions, but that's something we all need to figure out for ourselves. That's part of getting old, and that's what The Graduate is all about. That's what Roger Ebert has forgotten.