The Questionable Classification of The Graduate by Natalia

Natalia Rueda-Marshall

March 21, 2020

ENG255

Throughout this Romantic Comedies course, we have watched many films that have depicted many types of relationships with seemingly happy endings. However, The Graduate, as directed by Mike Nichols seemed to lack both romance in general and a satisfying end. With this, the question arises if The Graduate can even be considered a romantic comedy despite its classification as such. It seemed to me that the film was more focused on Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) and his aimless life after college and less about his relationship with Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross). Their relationship acted as more of a crutch for Benjamin in an attempt to give his life some direction more than anything else. Even the ending where Benjamin and Elaine run away together lacks love between the two, leading me to believe that it wasn't quite a happy ending at all. The Graduate’s classification as a romantic comedy is misleading because the main narrative is not a quest for love, but an effort for Benjamin to find himself.

In Romantic Comedy, written by Tamar Jeffers McDonald, the given definition of the genre is the following, “a romantic comedy is a film which has its central narrative motor a quest for love, which portrays this quest in a light-hearted way and almost always to a successful conclusion” (page 9). However, The Graduate does not meet this criteria. From the start of the film we are introduced to Benjamin Braddock, a recent graduate who has no plans for his life.We see him struggle to cope with his aimlessness and his fears for his future. A relatable storyline, for many including myself who have no idea what we want to do despite spending thousands on a college education in hopes to get there. Even though I am not yet a senior, I worry about my future after having just changed my major and being pressured by my parents to “figure it out.” This relatability is why viewers understand the emotions he goes through and get why Benjamin begins his secret affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), an older woman who offers him an escape from the despair that threatens to swallow him whole. It is this effort to find himself and give his life direction that accounts for a majority of the storyline for this film. However, it becomes clear that his relationship with Mrs. Robinson does little to fill the void in his life, and perhaps adds to its bleakness as he reflects on their inappropriate behavior. This is displayed by close up shots of Benjamin where he stares blankly ahead, usually with either a cigarette or alcohol in his hands while somber music plays in the background. It is because of this continued state of depression that leads Benjamin to solace elsewhere.

The actual romantic relationship that begins for Benjamin only happens once we’ve spent one whole hour watching him struggle with himself, and struggle with his inappropriate relationship with his father’s law partner’s wife. It just so happens that this new relationship is with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine. Their relationship starts off rocky as Benjamin tries to repulse and push her away by request of her mother who is very against them being together. But that quickly ends once Benjamin discovers that Elaine offers more comfort and companionship than her mother. However, their relationship quickly ends when Benjamin is forced by Mrs. Robinson to reveal their affair to Elaine. His life begins to spiral again and in his attempt to right things he declares he is going to marry Elaine. When his parents suggest that his plan is underthought his response is that  “no it’s not, it’s completely baked. It’s a decision I’ve made” and “to be perfectly honest she doesn’t like me” (The Graduate, 1:13:30). This scene helps convey how Benjamin decided that this marriage was his goal for his future with little concern that Elaine and him weren’t actually in love. Which reiterates the claim that the main narrative of this film was Benjamin’s development and not his romantic relationship with Elaine.

 It is important to address that while The Graduate is classified as a romantic comedy, the genre itself can be subdivided to include different elements. So, while this film is a romantic comedy it can be further specified as a radical romantic comedy. These types of films can break from the normal conventions of a romantic comedy by forgoing the anticipated coupling of the main characters and adding an emphasis on the reality of romance and life. The film does do the former, even though viewers are left wondering how long the two will stay together given the heavy silence that settles over them. As for the second part, The Graduate does illuminate the reality of heartbreak, and the sexual desire of both men and women. But, I maintain that the issue remains that any romance in this film came secondary to Benjamin’s personal turmoil. Which still takes away the justification of a radical romantic comedy label.

It is for the reasons outlined above that The Graduate classification as a romantic comedy is misleading. Mostly because the film's main objective is to walk us through Benjamin’s struggle to cope and figure out life after college and not through his developing relationship with Elaine. Leaving a film that is more drama than a romantic comedy.

Work Cited

McDonald Jeffers, Tamar. Romantic Comedy. New York, Columbia University Press, 2007. 

The Graduate. Directed by Mike Nichols, 1967.