The Graduate (1967)

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Screenplay Genre: Comedy / Romance/ Drama

Movie Time: 106 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) has only been home from college a few days, and after Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), his neighbor, asks him to give her a ride home, she convinces him to come inside her house and then attempts to seduce him, standing in front of him naked saying she’s “available” to him anytime as he nervously tries to escape the room. (16:05:00)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

Benjamin calls Mrs. Robinson from the Taft hotel, asking her to meet him. He rents them a room for the night, and they begin their affair. (37:48:00)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

When Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) comes home from college, Benjamin takes her out despite being forbidden by Mrs. Robinson. By the end of the night Benjamin tells Elaine, “I like you so much” and admits to her that an affair (withholding the fact that it was with her mother) he’s been having “is all over now.” (1:05:37)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Benjamin decides to go to Berkeley to win Elaine back. He asks her to marry him, and she replies, “I’ll think about it.” He goes out to buy her a ring and comes home to find Elaine’s father waiting for him. He knows of the affair and tells Ben to stay away from Elaine. (1:30:15)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

Elaine is at the church getting married to another man, when Benjamin barges in and continuously screams “Elaine!” from the balcony. She flees the wedding and runs away with him. (1:42:11)

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