whose cries awaken the ‘hero’ from his misery. 289 Because of these limitations, The Graduate cannot be viewed as a forward-thinking, progressive film in the context of gender. Foreign policy was the consuming issue of the 1960s and the war in Vietnam signalled a complete change from traditionalist views for the American youth. The draft left many Baby Boomers susceptible to conscription and continued involvement of the military and a growing death toll led to demands for withdrawal from foreign entanglements. 290 Critics J.W Whitehead and Bert Cardullo acknowledge the absence of foreign policy issues but credit the timeless popularity of the film to this omission. 291 Cardullo notes that, had Nichols explicitly discussed the issue of Vietnam, The Graduate “would have been accused of tokenism” and would have become outdated as issues changed. 292 The most suggestive nod Nichols gives towards the escalating conflict is on Elaine’s Berkley campus when Ben is pictured sitting alone under an American flag. The camera angle from above makes Ben appear small and isolated, something which students and drafted youths across the country could relate to. One reference to the conflict is the use of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair”, a song addressing the act of preparing for an unwelcome and futile war. 293 Except for these small acknowledgments, The Graduate is not noted as being an aggressive protest film and Jonathon Rosenbaum accuses the film of following “escapist principles” and “studiously avoid[ing] everything about the
289 Whitehead, Appraising the Graduate, 72. 290 Walter L. Hixson, The Vietnam Antiwar Movement (New York:
Garland Publishing Company, 2000), 15. 291 Whitehead, Appraising the Graduate, 18. 292 Cardullo, Film Analysis, 117. 293 Whitehead, Appraising the Graduate, 18.
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