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Seduced by Mrs. Robinson: How "The Graduate" Became the Touchstone of a Generation
*An Amazon Best Book of the Month* “[Gray] writes smartly and insightfully . . . The book as a whole offers a fascinating look at how this movie tells a timeless story.” —The Washington PostMrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren’t you? When The Graduate premiered in December 1967, its filmmakers had only modest expectations for what seemed to be a small, sexy art-house comedy adapted from an obscure first novel by an eccentric twenty-four-year-old. There was little indication that this offbeat story—a young man just out of college has an affair with one of his parents’ friends and then runs off with her daughter—would turn out to be a monster hit, with an extended run in theaters and seven Academy Award nominations. The film catapulted an unknown actor, Dustin Hoffman, to stardom with a role that is now permanently engraved in our collective memory. While turning the word plastics into shorthand for soulless work and a corporate, consumer culture, The Graduate sparked a national debate about what was starting to be called “the generation gap.” Now, in time for this iconic film’s fiftieth birthday, author Beverly Gray offers up a smart close reading of the film itself as well as vivid, never-before-revealed details from behind the scenes of the production—including all the drama and decision-making of the cast and crew. For movie buffs and pop culture fanatics, Seduced by Mrs. Robinson brings to light The Graduate’s huge influence on the future of filmmaking. And it explores how this unconventional movie rocked the late-sixties world, both reflecting and changing the era’s views of sex, work, and marriage.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2025
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About the author
Beverly Gray
3 books10 followersAfter completing my doctorate in Contemporary American Fiction at UCLA, I surprised everyone (including myself) by taking a job with B-movie maven Roger Corman. At the legendary New World Pictures, I edited scripts, wrote publicity material, cast voice actors, and tried my hand at production. One highlight was coming up with the twist ending to a cult classic, Death Race 2000. Later, as story editor at Corman’s Concorde-New Horizons Pictures, I oversaw the development of 170 low-budget features. I’ve written six produced screenplays, and played several cameo roles (in all of which I kept my clothes on).
Since leaving Corman’s employ, I have been active as a journalist, while also teaching screenwriting workshops through UCLA Extension. My first book, Roger Corman: An Unauthorized Biography of the Godfather of Indie Filmmaking, made its debut in the #4 slot on the Los Angeles Times’ hardcover non-fiction bestseller list. Three years later, I published Ron Howard: From Mayberry to the Moon . . . and Beyond. I followed this with the first expanded paperback edition of the Corman bio, tastefully retitled Roger Corman: Blood-Sucking Vampires, Flesh-Eating Cockroaches, and Driller Killers. A third edition, available as both an ebook and a paperback, brings the Corman saga into the present day.
My newest, most exciting project yet is Seduced by Mrs. Robinson: How The Graduate Became the Touchstone of a Generation. Its publication in November 2017 coincides with the 50th anniversary of this landmark film, which is beloved by Baby Boomers for capturing their view of the adult world that in 1967 they were newly poised to enter.
I live in Santa Monica, California. When not doting on my family, I focus on my popular blog, “Beverly in Movieland,” which covers movies, moviemaking, and growing up Hollywood-adjacent. Find it at www.beverlyinmovieland.com
Since leaving Corman’s employ, I have been active as a journalist, while also teaching screenwriting workshops through UCLA Extension. My first book, Roger Corman: An Unauthorized Biography of the Godfather of Indie Filmmaking, made its debut in the #4 slot on the Los Angeles Times’ hardcover non-fiction bestseller list. Three years later, I published Ron Howard: From Mayberry to the Moon . . . and Beyond. I followed this with the first expanded paperback edition of the Corman bio, tastefully retitled Roger Corman: Blood-Sucking Vampires, Flesh-Eating Cockroaches, and Driller Killers. A third edition, available as both an ebook and a paperback, brings the Corman saga into the present day.
My newest, most exciting project yet is Seduced by Mrs. Robinson: How The Graduate Became the Touchstone of a Generation. Its publication in November 2017 coincides with the 50th anniversary of this landmark film, which is beloved by Baby Boomers for capturing their view of the adult world that in 1967 they were newly poised to enter.
I live in Santa Monica, California. When not doting on my family, I focus on my popular blog, “Beverly in Movieland,” which covers movies, moviemaking, and growing up Hollywood-adjacent. Find it at www.beverlyinmovieland.com
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March 8, 2018
So here's to you...
The Graduate was released in 1967 and won an Oscar for its director, Mike Nichols. Beverly Gray was at the same stage of her life as the young hero of the movie, Benjamin Braddock – just leaving college and part of a generation that was seeking something different to the plans their parents had made for them. This book is partly about the making of the film, partly about the influence it has had on later culture, but mostly about the impact it had on Gray herself and her peers. Because of the type of book it is, it's of course full of spoilers for the movie, and so will be this review.
I'm maybe a decade younger than Gray and The Graduate didn't have the same impact on me when I first saw it, on TV probably in the late 70s (and quite probably with some bits cut, I'd imagine – British TV was like that back then). I liked it well enough and loved the Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack, but it didn't speak to me about my life. I thought of it as an enjoyable rom-com – a bit racy, perhaps, but by the late '70s, frankly, what wasn't? So I was intrigued to see if Gray would deepen my appreciation for it.
Gray starts by discussing her own reaction to the film on its release, and how those reactions have changed somewhat as she has swapped the optimism of youth for the realism (or cynicism or pessimism, depending on how you look at it) of experience. The ending in particular – seen at the time as a hopeful rejection of their parents' values – seems more ambiguous looking back. OK, so they'd run off – now what?
She then goes back in time a little to discuss the origin of the film and its production, She introduces us to the writer of the original book, Charles Webb, and tells us about his own life on which he drew somewhat for the plot (though his affair with his parents' friend was purely wishful thinking). The book didn't take off at first – reviews I've read of it suggest it's not terribly well written. Gray says it was compared in style to The Catcher in the Rye and clearly was in the same vein of trying to capture that generational shift that happened in America during the '60s. Although the film came out in '67 at the height of Vietnam, the book places it closer to '62, which is why Benjamin is not living in fear of being drafted. Despite its relative lack of success, it attracted the attention of an aspiring movie producer, Larry Turman, who managed to get Mike Nichols interested, and also persuaded backer Joe E Levine to put up the money.
Gray then takes us through the making of the film, though more from the perspective of the people than the technical side of it. We learn how the young Dustin Hoffman got the role, how Nichols got the performances out of his stars, whose leg it actually is in the rolling up the stocking scene. (Admit it – you're intrigued now, aren't you? Send me chocolate and I might tell you...)
Then she takes us through the film scene by scene, pointing out some of the techniques and effects Nichols used. I found this was the perfect stage to re-watch the movie. This is an interesting section, done well, getting a nice balance between detail and overall impression. It's done from the perspective of the viewer rather than the film-makers, so she points out what has been done rather than how it was done. For example, she points out the use of mirrors, glass and reflections throughout the film, or tiny details like Ben being anti-smoking before his rebellion and then taking up smoking at round about the same time as he... ahem... takes up with Mrs Robinson. These are all the things I never notice, so I found this added a lot to my appreciation of how Nichols achieved his story-telling effects.
The final section tells us how the film impacted on the later careers of its stars, not always positively, and how it has been referenced in popular culture in the decades since its release. Some of this made my eyes glaze over a bit, partly because a lot of the references related to specifically American things, like ads, and partly because, not being an avid movie watcher, I hadn't seen a lot of the films she mentioned. However it would work better for American cinema enthusiasts, I'm sure.
Gray writes lightly and conversationally, with a good deal of fairly waspish humour sprinkled over the pages, and the book is enjoyable to read. It doesn't have the depth of a deeply researched production critique, but that's not its aim. The personal aspect of how it touched Gray and her generation adds interest, though occasionally she has a tendency to dismiss any interpretation of it that differs from her own. And of course it relates directly only to a small subset of that generation – well off, college educated, white – something Gray doesn't really acknowledge, at least not explicitly.
I enjoyed the read and the re-watch it inspired, and I found, like Gray, that my advancing years had made that ending look a lot deeper than my young self had spotted. In fact, the final scene of Benjamin and Elaine on the bus feels much less victorious to me now. Gray explains how Nichols managed to catch the ambiguous expressions on the actors' faces, almost by accident, and yet it gives the film a depth and poignancy it might not otherwise have had. If like me you haven't watched it in years, treat yourself to a movie night – it has more than stood the test of time. And if you're a fan of the film, then I happily recommend the book. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Algonquin Books.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
The Graduate was released in 1967 and won an Oscar for its director, Mike Nichols. Beverly Gray was at the same stage of her life as the young hero of the movie, Benjamin Braddock – just leaving college and part of a generation that was seeking something different to the plans their parents had made for them. This book is partly about the making of the film, partly about the influence it has had on later culture, but mostly about the impact it had on Gray herself and her peers. Because of the type of book it is, it's of course full of spoilers for the movie, and so will be this review.
I'm maybe a decade younger than Gray and The Graduate didn't have the same impact on me when I first saw it, on TV probably in the late 70s (and quite probably with some bits cut, I'd imagine – British TV was like that back then). I liked it well enough and loved the Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack, but it didn't speak to me about my life. I thought of it as an enjoyable rom-com – a bit racy, perhaps, but by the late '70s, frankly, what wasn't? So I was intrigued to see if Gray would deepen my appreciation for it.
Gray starts by discussing her own reaction to the film on its release, and how those reactions have changed somewhat as she has swapped the optimism of youth for the realism (or cynicism or pessimism, depending on how you look at it) of experience. The ending in particular – seen at the time as a hopeful rejection of their parents' values – seems more ambiguous looking back. OK, so they'd run off – now what?
She then goes back in time a little to discuss the origin of the film and its production, She introduces us to the writer of the original book, Charles Webb, and tells us about his own life on which he drew somewhat for the plot (though his affair with his parents' friend was purely wishful thinking). The book didn't take off at first – reviews I've read of it suggest it's not terribly well written. Gray says it was compared in style to The Catcher in the Rye and clearly was in the same vein of trying to capture that generational shift that happened in America during the '60s. Although the film came out in '67 at the height of Vietnam, the book places it closer to '62, which is why Benjamin is not living in fear of being drafted. Despite its relative lack of success, it attracted the attention of an aspiring movie producer, Larry Turman, who managed to get Mike Nichols interested, and also persuaded backer Joe E Levine to put up the money.
Gray then takes us through the making of the film, though more from the perspective of the people than the technical side of it. We learn how the young Dustin Hoffman got the role, how Nichols got the performances out of his stars, whose leg it actually is in the rolling up the stocking scene. (Admit it – you're intrigued now, aren't you? Send me chocolate and I might tell you...)
Then she takes us through the film scene by scene, pointing out some of the techniques and effects Nichols used. I found this was the perfect stage to re-watch the movie. This is an interesting section, done well, getting a nice balance between detail and overall impression. It's done from the perspective of the viewer rather than the film-makers, so she points out what has been done rather than how it was done. For example, she points out the use of mirrors, glass and reflections throughout the film, or tiny details like Ben being anti-smoking before his rebellion and then taking up smoking at round about the same time as he... ahem... takes up with Mrs Robinson. These are all the things I never notice, so I found this added a lot to my appreciation of how Nichols achieved his story-telling effects.
The final section tells us how the film impacted on the later careers of its stars, not always positively, and how it has been referenced in popular culture in the decades since its release. Some of this made my eyes glaze over a bit, partly because a lot of the references related to specifically American things, like ads, and partly because, not being an avid movie watcher, I hadn't seen a lot of the films she mentioned. However it would work better for American cinema enthusiasts, I'm sure.
Gray writes lightly and conversationally, with a good deal of fairly waspish humour sprinkled over the pages, and the book is enjoyable to read. It doesn't have the depth of a deeply researched production critique, but that's not its aim. The personal aspect of how it touched Gray and her generation adds interest, though occasionally she has a tendency to dismiss any interpretation of it that differs from her own. And of course it relates directly only to a small subset of that generation – well off, college educated, white – something Gray doesn't really acknowledge, at least not explicitly.
I enjoyed the read and the re-watch it inspired, and I found, like Gray, that my advancing years had made that ending look a lot deeper than my young self had spotted. In fact, the final scene of Benjamin and Elaine on the bus feels much less victorious to me now. Gray explains how Nichols managed to catch the ambiguous expressions on the actors' faces, almost by accident, and yet it gives the film a depth and poignancy it might not otherwise have had. If like me you haven't watched it in years, treat yourself to a movie night – it has more than stood the test of time. And if you're a fan of the film, then I happily recommend the book. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Algonquin Books.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
September 11, 2018
Beverly Gray’s book length exploration of ‘The Graduate’, its production and cultural impact is at its most engaging in its second half (the book’s third section), where Gray shifts the focus towards how the film responded to - and was interpreted by - the 60s radical youth culture it emerged within, and how the film has stayed around in subsequent decades and inspired directors, actors and parody. Unfortunately, the book’s first half, documenting the film’s production and deconstructing the events within the film, largely feels like a retread of what has been covered elsewhere in the sources that Gray draws from - including DVD commentaries, autobiographies, a Vanity Fair retrospective oral history, Mark Harris’ ‘Pictures from a Revolution’ - and contemporary interviews. It’s welcome to see these sources brought together, but the original contributions are largely limited to Gray’s survey of Lawrence Turman’s personal documents and her interviews with Turman. The second part’s amount of detail in relaying the film’s specific details weighs down the space of the book, creating a welcome memory of the best scenes but distracting from her own analysis of why these scenes work.
Gray does draw on a lot of sources with good detail, but there’s still some gaps. Part of the frustration is Gray’s perspective, as a California based youth of the 1960s that watched the film on its original release, worked in the film industry alongside Roger Corman but is largely approaching the film from a cultural, not academic, perspective, using journalistic skill but placing the book behind what can be achieved by the film historians and academics that have already written about ‘The Graduate’ over the past 50 years. Honestly, I would have preferred to see a book that could have expanded on the visual sources (with only a handful of posters and set photos reproduced within the book, in black and white), and focused in greater detail how people responded to the film - and in particular, the current generation’s response to it. Gray does cover the political implications, the future careers of its cast and crew, and how the materialism of the parental world was ‘sold out’ in how the film has been exploited and marketed in explicitly commercial contexts subsequently. But a sharper focus would have been much more welcome and allowed this book to have a greater impact.
‘Seduced By Mrs Robinson’ is probably best read by someone who remembers watching ‘The Graduate’ years ago, but knows nothing about its production and response. Gray is certainly competent, but I can’t shake off how much more engaging Mark Harris’ writing style is on the same subject, or the directness of the oral history in the Vanity Fair piece. I’d more strongly recommend this book by skipping over some of its section - and using its bibliography as its own resource (many such articles are available online) - or watching the Criterion or StudioCanal releases of the film that have come out recently. Recommended with some major caveats.
Gray does draw on a lot of sources with good detail, but there’s still some gaps. Part of the frustration is Gray’s perspective, as a California based youth of the 1960s that watched the film on its original release, worked in the film industry alongside Roger Corman but is largely approaching the film from a cultural, not academic, perspective, using journalistic skill but placing the book behind what can be achieved by the film historians and academics that have already written about ‘The Graduate’ over the past 50 years. Honestly, I would have preferred to see a book that could have expanded on the visual sources (with only a handful of posters and set photos reproduced within the book, in black and white), and focused in greater detail how people responded to the film - and in particular, the current generation’s response to it. Gray does cover the political implications, the future careers of its cast and crew, and how the materialism of the parental world was ‘sold out’ in how the film has been exploited and marketed in explicitly commercial contexts subsequently. But a sharper focus would have been much more welcome and allowed this book to have a greater impact.
‘Seduced By Mrs Robinson’ is probably best read by someone who remembers watching ‘The Graduate’ years ago, but knows nothing about its production and response. Gray is certainly competent, but I can’t shake off how much more engaging Mark Harris’ writing style is on the same subject, or the directness of the oral history in the Vanity Fair piece. I’d more strongly recommend this book by skipping over some of its section - and using its bibliography as its own resource (many such articles are available online) - or watching the Criterion or StudioCanal releases of the film that have come out recently. Recommended with some major caveats.
December 22, 2017
Seduced By Mrs. Robinson is a bold examination of a film described as a touchstone of a generation. Many of us have seen the move so many times that we are intimately familiar with the various scenes from Benjamin donning his scuba gear in the backyard pool to driving Mrs. Robinson home to stalking Elaine at Berkeley and throwing a fit in the church balcony as she weds someone else. Gray takes this iconic film and discusses it on several levels. First, from the point of view of a Hollywood insider, discussing the casting and the producing and directing choices. Next, she looks at the film scene by scene, discussing the meaning of different scenes such as how Ben is claustrophobic when he is at his arenas' party and his awkward innocence when being seduced by Anne Bancroft. This is perhaps the real heart of the book. Then, Gray examines the cultural implications of the film, its impact on viewers, on critics, and on the culture. Finally, Gray discusses where all the directors and actors went from there. It's everything you always wanted to know about the movie and perhaps more. Well done.
July 26, 2018
When "The Graduate" premiered in 1967, it became an overnight smash hit. More importantly, the movie has maintained its hold on the popular imagination. To this day, people remember the script's use of one word to sum up a worldview: "plastics." Beverly Gray's New book follows "The Graduate" on its journey from obscure novel to classic film still relevant today. The book's thumbnail sketches of the creative minds behind the story are vivid and fascinating, especially about director Mike Nichols and Dustin Hoffman. I also enjoyed the discussion of the film's plot and themes. While I thought the chapters discussing fan reactions and the movie's cultural relevance a bit long, Gray gives us "Graduate" fans a nicely detailed look at a still-beloved film classic.
December 3, 2017
Beverly Gray's signature pizzaz makes Seduced... an immensely enjoyable and enlightening read. It is the perfect gift for any film buff, but particularly for those who came of age in the '60s. Her thorough knowledge of filmmaking techniques and keen analysis of the social context of The Graduate offer an invaluable perspective on this watershed 1967 film. Gray, herself a native Angeleno, was able to interview key contributors Dustin Hoffman and producer Lawrence Turman, and she supports the entire study with extensive scholarly research. What better way to mark the 50th anniversary of The Graduate than with this in-depth consideration of who we were and what we have become. And boy, is it fun to see the film again with an enhanced understanding of its stature in cinema history! Highly recommended--and be sure to check out her addictive blog.
December 1, 2019
I was just starting college when The Graduate came out and I was as taken by the film as most young people who were questioning the values that had been passed down from our parents. My father's version of "plastics" was law (where he believed I could make lots of money). Instead I became a college professor of English and Women's Studies (much to his dismay). If I wasn't going to make lots of money then I was a failure. Also my first boyfriend looked like Dustin Hoffman, so I could relate on that level as well. I was reading this book earlier today when a man at a coffee shop told me that it was every boy's fantasy to be seduced by Mrs. Robinson. Actually the main pull of the movie (as I later learned) was that I too wanted to be seduced by Mrs. Robinson. This book offered the history of the making of the film, the innovations the film produced, its reception at the time and its long lasting effects.
November 30, 2017
Beverly Gray has done it again! Highly recommend her latest show biz book focused entirely on one of my favorite films, "The Graduate"--and not just because I am quoted on page 185! Beverly's book focuses on the making of the film and its connection to those of us who came of age when it was released. She has clearly done extensive research over a lengthy time period, interviewing the key players behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Wish Katherine Ross had been more cooperative, her perspective is missed. Overall, this book is highly readable for movie fans and insiders. Beverly is a scholar who feeds you the facts so that you don't choke on them.
November 6, 2017
As someone who reads a lot of film books, it's rare that I find a book so brilliantly written. Gray has a fantastic voice. Her writing style is approachable and as a former story editor for Roger Corman she has a knack for storytelling. Gray offers a lot of interesting insights and information about the film that will give readers a new appreciation for this classic.
I had a couple of quibbles with the book. You can find more details about that here: http://www.outofthepastblog.com/2017/...
I had a couple of quibbles with the book. You can find more details about that here: http://www.outofthepastblog.com/2017/...
November 24, 2017
Undeniably enjoyable. Recommended for a holiday weekend or vacation, preferably followed by the movie itself.
November 7, 2017
There is a lot of talk about Dustin Hoffman not being attractive enough for this role (wha??) I mean A LOT. Apparently Dustin Hoffman didn't feel he had the right looks for the role and he was kinda shy and awkward about it. Looking back (and yes, hindsight is always 20/20) I think we can all agree he made that film. Also, let's talk about Ann Bancroft who, by the way, is only 6 years older than Dustin Hoffman yet, still played the role of "cougar" rather convincingly. And speaking of Cougars, did you notice the use of animal print in Ann Bancroft's wardrobe for this film? Obviously my favorite part of the book was discussing the wardrobe selection and I love the not-so-subtle touches in this film.
For more on this book, visit: https://www.hastybooklist.com/home/20...
For more on this book, visit: https://www.hastybooklist.com/home/20...
August 5, 2019
This disappointing book doesn't give much insight into the background of the making of The Graduate. Instead we get all sorts of first-person commentary on the author's college years, how Benjamin Braddock reflected what she was going through, how the movie didn't go far enough to show the unrest on college campuses at the time, and all sorts of unrelated recent movies that have virtually nothing to do with The Graduate (Private Benjamin? 500 Days of Summer? The Hangover?).
The poorly-written book jumps all over the place with the center not being the movie but the author's interpretation of the movie. She spends over 50 pages just retelling the movie's plot, in her own skewed perception. You can skip the entire middle hundred pages because they say nothing significant. She grossly overstates the film's impact on movie history and fails to deal with the fact that it's not listed in the top tier of the classics (though I think the movie is great). Then the ending does update you on the Graduate's crazy author, but only gives two paragraphs to the movie sequel Rumor Has It!
It's a mess written by someone who doesn't understand much about movie-making or even the 1960s. Some things she says are just plain wrong, while others put a spin on the movie or the era that is pretty distorted. Wish she would have included all the research she claims to have been working on for over ten years. Instead this seems more like a padded diary of self-reflection on why the movie meant so much to her. If you love The Graduate you won't find much here to enjoy.
The poorly-written book jumps all over the place with the center not being the movie but the author's interpretation of the movie. She spends over 50 pages just retelling the movie's plot, in her own skewed perception. You can skip the entire middle hundred pages because they say nothing significant. She grossly overstates the film's impact on movie history and fails to deal with the fact that it's not listed in the top tier of the classics (though I think the movie is great). Then the ending does update you on the Graduate's crazy author, but only gives two paragraphs to the movie sequel Rumor Has It!
It's a mess written by someone who doesn't understand much about movie-making or even the 1960s. Some things she says are just plain wrong, while others put a spin on the movie or the era that is pretty distorted. Wish she would have included all the research she claims to have been working on for over ten years. Instead this seems more like a padded diary of self-reflection on why the movie meant so much to her. If you love The Graduate you won't find much here to enjoy.
December 30, 2017
I loved the movie The Graduate and thus enjoyed the facts and information in Gray's book. However, I found it dull and lackluster in many places.
"Most of the original fans of The Graduate have slowly made their uneasy truce with maturity. We have gone out into the world. We've produced offspring and watched wrinkles and mortality take their toll"
"There is no piece of casting in the 20th century that I know of that is more courageous than putting me in that part." Dustin Hoffman(2000)
"Nichols, trying to explain to Redford why he wasn't right for the role, inquired about the last time the young actor had struck out with a member of the opposite sex. 'What do you mean,' asked Redford."
"But if you get a certain gleam in your eye when the subject of The Graduate arises, you know the pleasure of hearkening back to a film in which the sound of silence can be overcome by an unlikely young man bellowing in the name of love. Whatever age you may be, if the vision that was planted in your brain still flickers, it's a sign that you retain a shard of Benjamin Braddock's youthful capacity for hope and wonder.
Maybe plastics have not triumphed, after all."
"Most of the original fans of The Graduate have slowly made their uneasy truce with maturity. We have gone out into the world. We've produced offspring and watched wrinkles and mortality take their toll"
"There is no piece of casting in the 20th century that I know of that is more courageous than putting me in that part." Dustin Hoffman(2000)
"Nichols, trying to explain to Redford why he wasn't right for the role, inquired about the last time the young actor had struck out with a member of the opposite sex. 'What do you mean,' asked Redford."
"But if you get a certain gleam in your eye when the subject of The Graduate arises, you know the pleasure of hearkening back to a film in which the sound of silence can be overcome by an unlikely young man bellowing in the name of love. Whatever age you may be, if the vision that was planted in your brain still flickers, it's a sign that you retain a shard of Benjamin Braddock's youthful capacity for hope and wonder.
Maybe plastics have not triumphed, after all."
January 1, 2018
Seduced by Mrs. Robinson is a paean to The Graduate. Beverly Gray was in college when it came out in late 1967. It struck a chord with her, as it did for many of her generation. It may still resonate with those emerging from college into a world their parents made that seems foreign.
The opening chapters tell how the movie came to be, from how the novel came to written, then sold, to how it was cast, directed, and edited, all as the revolution in movie making of the 1960s was beginning. As often in Hollywood, the characters are fascinating. they include included the author, Charles Webb; the producer, Larry Turman; the executive producer, Joseph Levine; the director, Mike Nichols; and, of course, Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.
The middle of the book is a blow-by-blow recounting of of the plot. The last third tells you more than might want to know about influence of the film, its use in commercials, and what happened to those who made the film. The love the author still has for The Graduate shines through. If you haven't seen the film, you should. Seduced by Mrs. Robinson may make you a fan.
The opening chapters tell how the movie came to be, from how the novel came to written, then sold, to how it was cast, directed, and edited, all as the revolution in movie making of the 1960s was beginning. As often in Hollywood, the characters are fascinating. they include included the author, Charles Webb; the producer, Larry Turman; the executive producer, Joseph Levine; the director, Mike Nichols; and, of course, Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.
The middle of the book is a blow-by-blow recounting of of the plot. The last third tells you more than might want to know about influence of the film, its use in commercials, and what happened to those who made the film. The love the author still has for The Graduate shines through. If you haven't seen the film, you should. Seduced by Mrs. Robinson may make you a fan.
July 6, 2018
Read for the Bender JCC book festival and recommended for inclusion. My review below:
--
The producers thought they were making an art-house comedy adapted from an obscure novel. Who knew that “The Graduate” would be a monster hit? Who knew that images and phrases (“plastics”) would take on enduring cultural meanings?
Even if you think you know the movie, this fun-to-read account offers hundreds of new details and dozens of new insights. For example: Benjamin Braddock was originally visualized as a buff blond surfer; Robert Redford screen-tested for the part. The image of Ben imprisoned in the bottom of the swimming pool parallels images of fish imprisoned in his aquarium. That ultra-sexy scene of Mrs. Robinson pulling on her nylons works only because she’s wearing a garter belt and not wriggling into pantyhose.
There are many more. The author misses some points I think she should have gotten, but her deep knowledge of Hollywood movie making informs every page.
--
The producers thought they were making an art-house comedy adapted from an obscure novel. Who knew that “The Graduate” would be a monster hit? Who knew that images and phrases (“plastics”) would take on enduring cultural meanings?
Even if you think you know the movie, this fun-to-read account offers hundreds of new details and dozens of new insights. For example: Benjamin Braddock was originally visualized as a buff blond surfer; Robert Redford screen-tested for the part. The image of Ben imprisoned in the bottom of the swimming pool parallels images of fish imprisoned in his aquarium. That ultra-sexy scene of Mrs. Robinson pulling on her nylons works only because she’s wearing a garter belt and not wriggling into pantyhose.
There are many more. The author misses some points I think she should have gotten, but her deep knowledge of Hollywood movie making informs every page.
June 11, 2019
Beverly Gray's book about the making of the 1967 film The Graduate and its lasting cultural impact makes for a light but enjoyable read.
The book is strongest on the making of the film, thanks to Gray's interviews with producer Lawrence Turman, whose side of the story is always told less frequently than that of director Mike Nichols or star Dustin Hoffman. The middle third - Gray's retelling of the plot with some surface-level analysis - is skippable if you remember the film well. With the final part tackling a summation of the film's success and influence, and following up what happened with the main players, the book is back on firmer ground.
I enjoyed it well enough but learned a lot more about the film, in fewer pages, from the relevant sections of Mark Harris' excellent Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood (2008), which Gray draws on in her research. Her book is best suited to keen fans of The Graduate only.
The book is strongest on the making of the film, thanks to Gray's interviews with producer Lawrence Turman, whose side of the story is always told less frequently than that of director Mike Nichols or star Dustin Hoffman. The middle third - Gray's retelling of the plot with some surface-level analysis - is skippable if you remember the film well. With the final part tackling a summation of the film's success and influence, and following up what happened with the main players, the book is back on firmer ground.
I enjoyed it well enough but learned a lot more about the film, in fewer pages, from the relevant sections of Mark Harris' excellent Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood (2008), which Gray draws on in her research. Her book is best suited to keen fans of The Graduate only.
October 2, 2017
Maybe I am too young to have truly appreciated this movie. I'm thinking YAs and adults would have found the movie, and the book, more interesting when it first came out. I was only 10 or 11, and when I finally caught the film, years later, it just looked dated and I couldn't figure out for the life of me what all the hoopla had been about! Still I remember it catapulting Dustin Hoffman to fame and I enjoyed his work. I'm guessing the book is going to appeal to those around my parents age group mostly. It was an interesting read, but not one I cared all that much for.
Still quick, easy read.
Still quick, easy read.
February 4, 2018
Though I am far from someone who might be deemed a "film buff," I am someone who once and in many ways still does identify with the open-ended ideology of The Graduate. Gray touches not only on the many perspectives, from feminist to ageist to nihilistic, that the film has been read by critics and pop culture, but goes into a behind-the-scenes examination of how the film came to be and the many cinematic decisions made in the course of its production. The book's publication coincides with the film's 50th anniversary and is a testament to the coming-of-age classic whose themes of youthful hope and wonder amid a disenchanted world still ring true today.
July 13, 2018
This book is a fascinating exploration of the story behind the movie and its cultural effects. It's exhaustively researched, including interviews with the actors, director, producer, and others involved in the production. The middle section, a scene-by-scene description of the movie that includes discussion of the filmmaker's emotional and visual intentions, could function as a tutorial in screenwriting. (And it made me want to see the movie again.)
Whether you saw this iconic movie when it came out, saw it later, or haven't yet seen it, "Seduced by Mrs. Robinson" will give you a rich sense of the impact of what the subtitle aptly describes as this "cultural touchstone."
Whether you saw this iconic movie when it came out, saw it later, or haven't yet seen it, "Seduced by Mrs. Robinson" will give you a rich sense of the impact of what the subtitle aptly describes as this "cultural touchstone."
January 8, 2019
"Seduced by Mrs. Robinson" is a most satisfying experience! Upon picking it up, I essentially couldn’t put it down until I finished it the next day. Well I remember seeing “The Graduate” with friends on its first run in 1967 (had to sneak in as we weren't yet 17) and many times since. Over the years, I had thought I’d gleaned most everything worth knowing about the film, but this book, with its careful, journalistic approach, pleasantly disabused me of that notion. Beverly Gray does a masterful job of setting the record straight and providing keen analysis while maintaining a breezy, conversational style — no easy feat. I recommend this without qualification!
July 27, 2018
Incisive, enlightening, nostalgic
This is a very absorbing read. I thoroughly enjoyed being brought back to an Era I remember fondly, thru the lens of one of its most iconic movies. The author's research is impressive, and her analysis of the artistry and craft that went into making The Graduate is enlightening. I enjoyed all the glimpses behind-the-scenes. The book is very well-written, and easy to read. Highly recommended for anyone who has enjoyed the movie, and would like to know more about its influence on society.
This is a very absorbing read. I thoroughly enjoyed being brought back to an Era I remember fondly, thru the lens of one of its most iconic movies. The author's research is impressive, and her analysis of the artistry and craft that went into making The Graduate is enlightening. I enjoyed all the glimpses behind-the-scenes. The book is very well-written, and easy to read. Highly recommended for anyone who has enjoyed the movie, and would like to know more about its influence on society.
October 10, 2021
Not quite what I thought…
When I bought this book, I assumed it would be a standard production history of the making of THE GRADUATE. Instead, this book is a broader recollection of the author’s life as it relates to the film, and also how the movie impacted and effected her generation. Not bad, but a little too personal for my taste. I skipped through substantial portions that didn’t relate directly to the film’s production, though the parts I read were well written and fairly interesting.
When I bought this book, I assumed it would be a standard production history of the making of THE GRADUATE. Instead, this book is a broader recollection of the author’s life as it relates to the film, and also how the movie impacted and effected her generation. Not bad, but a little too personal for my taste. I skipped through substantial portions that didn’t relate directly to the film’s production, though the parts I read were well written and fairly interesting.
January 2, 2018
When I saw the movie it was just another love story, little did we know the world was changing. Early twentys just married and thinking we knew everything and was on our way. Everything changed in a few years, I still say not for the better.
Have to smile when you have to disect a film frame by frame looking for reasons why it's a classic.
The book was ok is's still a love story.
Have to smile when you have to disect a film frame by frame looking for reasons why it's a classic.
The book was ok is's still a love story.
August 13, 2019
Written in celebration of the movie's 5oth Anniversary, the book makes the case for why The Graduate appears on most every "Best of All Time" list and launched and cemented the careers of both Dustin Hoffman and Mike Nichols. We watched the re-release of the movie in 2017 on the "big" screen and it still holds up! Great back story to the making of the movie and it's cultural impact.
January 20, 2022
This was interesting when recalling the making of the film, but became less so when filler stretched it into the book. I did not need a recap play by play of the plot of the film. I also didn't need to know the author's disappointment that Ms. Ross wouldn't participate with an interview without being paid in her where are they now chapter. Oh well, finally finished a book in the new year.
May 25, 2022
Hollywood Reporter stringer Gray milks Mike Nichols' accidental masterpiece for all she can: its genesis, production, and influence. There's a lot of padding (do we really need multiple chapters covering the plot?) and not much, historically, that's unfamiliar. Still, it's written with well-preserved adolescent elan; the spark the film instilled in Gray, and countless others, is still alight.
September 5, 2023
I love The Graduate movie and this is a good book about it’s making. I felt there were some sections where my interest dropped: mainly when similar plots, homages, and spoofs were described in detail rather than referred to. But, overall, particularly when the focus is on the making of, and the resulting success at the box office and awards.
November 25, 2024
I enjoyed this, but I could have enjoyed it more without the entire chapter re-hashing the entire film. I also wasn't all that enamored of all the author intrusions, and I think the conclusion -- looking at the future influences emanating from "The Graduate" -- strains at the edges. A book that seems right up my alley, but with too many frustrations getting in the way.
December 16, 2017
A very interesting read. Although I I did see the graduate as a young adult, I wasn’t as smitten with it as others were. But this book provided a lot of insights to the writing of the book and the making of the movie, all very interesting. Now I need to see the movie again.
December 30, 2017
This is a wonderful book. It's insightful, it's funny, and it's full of juicy, behind-the-scenes bits about everyone involved in this iconic film--which you will want to watch again, now that you're in the know.
August 4, 2018
This lost a star for having some really bizarre tangential assumptions about and judgments of the drug habits of some of the players (producers, actors, critics, etc.). The little asides from the author were intended as cheeky but almost always fell flat.
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