hello darkness my old friend

I was at a point where I was ready to say I am what I am because of what I am and if you like me I'm grateful, and if you don't, what am I going to do about it?

-anne bancroft

i saw the graduate last night for the first time. the movie has haunted me for quite a while, consistently coming up in conversation, forcing me to admit ignorance. many people have told me to watch it, some have even promised to watch it with me, but ultimately i viewed it alone, save for a glass of whiskey (too bad it wasn't bourbon…).

the entirety of the movie for me happens on the faces of benjamin and mrs. robinson. the pain that they both felt, that somehow no one else around them could see, was temporarily forgotten through the physical connection. when it falls apart, it's not because she wants to protect her daughter from benjamin, but rather because she doesn't want to lose him as he is the last remaining connection to her humanity. perhaps she also fears that her daughter might follow a similar path and arrive unhappily at the middle of her life full of regrets but i believe that she was too desperate for that. benjamin sees a chance for emotional intimacy in elaine and he takes it even though it costs him his comfortable dysfunction.

the risk of failure is the ante for success.