Thoughts on Mrs. Robinson

[Sky Blue]

There's the scene with Mrs. Robinson and her coarse and lowbrow husband where the depth of her unhappiness is conveyed. And we are sympathetic to her. But as an issue of narrative, why does our sympathy matter? Why do we need to feel any sort of way about her motives? Why does Mrs. Robinson need our permission or forgiveness? After the final, ending scenes, we certainly aren't giving it to her.

[mmd]

But Dustin Hoffman is.

Maybe she's virtue signalling.

[Peerie Maa]

Why drama, why catharsis?

[Sky Blue]

But Dustin Hoffman is.

Maybe she's virtue signalling.

I don't think he does forgive her. I don't think he cares either way. I think that's quite the point. He's grown up now.

[Paul Pless]

Its like my third favourite Simon & Garfunkel song.

[skuthorp]

Never saw it.

[Bobcat]

Why would I be thinking about a movie that came out 50 years ago?

[CWSmith]

Why do we need to feel any sort of way about her motives?

Because it's a movie and not a construction manual?

[Sky Blue]

Oy. The lack of open-minded, creative thinkers can surely bore at times.

Where's Ish?

[Sky Blue]

Its like my third favourite Simon & Garfunkel song.

My favorite is "America." An almost perfect song.

[skuthorp]

It's just that you are not the kind of person I wish to be associated with SB.

You are known by the company you keep.

[Sky Blue]

It's just that you are not the kind of person I wish to be associated with SB.

You are known by the company you keep.

Perhaps if you haven't anything useful or thoughtful to add, why, maybe just keep silent? Why on earth would I care about your associations? You already told us you haven't seen the film; why are you participating at all?

[Keith Wilson]

Jesus loves you more than you will know.
Wo Wo Wo.

[Sky Blue]

Jesus loves you more than you will know.
Wo Wo Wo.

I've wondered what they meant by that, as well, in thinking about the song. It's certainly relevant. S&G not being evangelists, what do you think they really meant? Is it a sympathetic message, or one that mocks her?

[Keith Wilson]

Is it a sympathetic message, or one that mocks her?

Yes.

[Sky Blue]

Yes.

Alright.

[Daniel Noyes]

Alright.

"coo coo ca choo Mrs Robinson"

An early warning sign of the West's demise?

When a society has the spare cash and is willing to place such value in the singing of lyrics such as these it is likely a sign of a decadent society that has lost it's sense of purpose and productivity.

Sure such a degenerate society may sputter on for a few more generations coasting as it were, living off the diligence and hard work of previous generations, but such a self centered and silly culture is likely to fall under the conquering heel of more industrious and serious humans.

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

"coo coo ca choo Mrs Robinson"

An early warning sign of the West's demise?

When a society has the spare cash and is willing to place such value in the singing of lyrics such as these it is likely a sign of a decadent society that has lost it's sense of purpose and productivity.

Sure such a degenerate society may sputter on for a few more generations coasting as it were, living off the diligence and hard work of previous generations, but such a self centered and silly culture is likely to fall under the conquering heel of more industrious and serious humans.

Very deep!

[Keith Wilson]

LOL! Mr Noyes is suffering from a bad, bad case of Good Old Days disease, possibly incurable. I recommend a stiff course of therapy listening to sentimental Victorian popular songs, or 20 or 30 hours of the longer and dumber Child ballads. It may kill him or cure him, but he will never again harbor any illusions about the unique stupidity of any age.

[Joe (SoCal)]

Saw S&G Free Concert in Central Park in '82 - It was as close as I ever got to be at Woodstock being born in '64

[Dave Gray]

I prefer "Bookends". At 14 it was unfathomable that I might be 70, but I always envisioned two old people in a park with pigeons and a chess set.

If you think "coo coo cachoo Mrs. Robinson" is *decadent* you didn't listen to most of the songs of the early sixties. "baby baby" etc

Also, being Jewish, I doubt Paul Simon the songwriter or Art Garfunkel on harmony were evangelists...

[Canoeyawl]

A good start on the ballads can be found here...

http://abckidsinc.com/top-nursery-rh...yrics-origins/

[Keith Wilson]

Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike . . .

[Flying Orca]

Originally "Mrs. Roosevelt", the titular character's name was changed for the film. Simon is one of the most musically accomplished American songwriters of his time, right up there with Zappa, Zevon, and Newman, and no slouch as a lyricist either. Some of the people who post here have the manners of a turd and the discernment of a clod, so I'm not at all surprised to find that they don't appreciate Simon's art.

[Breakaway]

Giving the audience sympathy for her early on is a buffer against the mores of the day.An older woman sleeping with a younger man would have been seen by a 1960s audience as a...well, let's just say they wouldn't have been enamored of her. The bad marriage " allows" her to be a sexual aggressor --at least in the minds of audience members watching in the semi-anonymous dark of the theatre.

Kevin

[Chip-skiff]

"coo coo ca choo Mrs Robinson"

An early warning sign of the West's demise?

When a society has the spare cash and is willing to place such value in the singing of lyrics such as these it is likely a sign of a decadent society that has lost it's sense of purpose and productivity.

Sure such a degenerate society may sputter on for a few more generations coasting as it were, living off the diligence and hard work of previous generations, but such a self centered and silly culture is likely to fall under the conquering heel of more industrious and serious humans.

Do you realise who you sound like, mein herr?

[Breakaway]

Saw S&G Free Concert in Central Park in '82 - It was as close as I ever got to be at Woodstock being born in '64

I was there,too! I was the one wearing a bandanna and ripped jeans.

Kevin

[Chip-skiff]

I was there,too! I was the one wearing a bandanna and ripped jeans.

Did you rip them yourself? Did you buy them with rips?

I always tried to keep my jeans from getting ripped, but for me they were working clothes, not a costume.

[Garret]

I was there,too! I was the one wearing a bandanna and ripped jeans.

Kevin

That sure made you stand out!

Didn't make it myself, but I saw some of it on a PBS fundraiser - does that count?

I too believe Simon is a genius & loved so many S&G songs. However, right now I'm goin' to Graceland wearing shoes with diamonds on the soles.

[Garret]

Did you rip them yourself? Did you buy them with rips?

I always tried to keep my jeans from getting ripped, but for me they were working clothes, not a costume.

Kevin buy ripped jeans? I'd be willing to bet a very large sum that they got that way honestly - probably ripped when tonging or digging.

[Landrith]

Giving the audience sympathy for her early on is a buffer against the mores of the day.An older woman sleeping with a younger man would have been seen by a 1960s audience as a...well, let's just say they wouldn't have been enamored of her. The bad marriage " allows" her to be a sexual aggressor --at least in the minds of audience members watching in the semi-anonymous dark of the theatre.

Kevin

I have to agree, the double standard for women of her social class at that time is hard for me (born in 1960) to imagine. Also consider the dramatic requirement to establish her as moral enough that she could join with her husband in outrage against Dustin Hoffman's character dating her daughter.

[PhaseLockedLoop]

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned Ben’s sexual harassment of what’s-her-face, pursuing her even to her wedding, for chrissake. Wouldn’t take no for an answer, he. Open and shut case.

[Sky Blue]

Also consider the dramatic requirement to establish her as moral enough that she could join with her husband in outrage against Dustin Hoffman's character dating her daughter.

Nicely stated. That is the precise framing. And it was done in a single compelling, dramatic scene, just seconds long, That scene is really the crux of the film. The "why" of the film. We like her a lot, we want to like her, but then suddenly we don't. We can't admire her adventurousness, nor be sympathetic for her unhappiness, if in the end she's just a snob with the Graduate not good enough for her daughter.

[Landrith]

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned Ben’s sexual harassment of what’s-her-face, pursuing her even to her wedding, for chrissake. Wouldn’t take no for an answer, he. Open and shut case.

It clearly was not a feminist film, even for the pre CIA funded Gloria Steinem social engineering era. The degrading of the mature woman who risked much to be with the young man and ease with which he and the audience could discard her for the young woman. It tended to reinforce male privilege.

[moTthediesel]

My favorite thing in the movie is the boat-tail Alfa, does that make me a shallow person?