The Graduate

The Graduate in 1967, which was even before our parents generation. This was deemed one of the funniest comedies in America at that time; however, nowadays we might interpret comedy a little bit differently. When we refer to comedies nowadays, we refer to major punch lines from the main characters. When comedies were created in the 1960's, the interpretation was a little different. Roger Ebert wrote, "the audience is the target of the joke, and the funny events do not happen in the movie -- they are the movie." That is what the young british directors were looking to accomplish when making this film.

The main character Ben started off as a young business man straight out of college with a decent amount of money and a bright future ahead of him. After becoming caught up in all the chaos with his parents and graduating, Ben makes a mistake. He sleeps with his family friend. Throughout the play we see the awkwardness of Ben, but also his determination to get what he wants. Bens sequence of events of his life and the events in the movie, are the funny events that are aimed at the audience. After Ben has an affair with his family friends mother, he pursues the daughter. This sequence of events is outrageous yet hilarious.