‘The Cinema Roundtable: 1967: How “The Graduate” and “Bonnie and Clyde” Changed Hollywood

‘The Cinema Roundtable: 1967: How “The Graduate” and “Bonnie and Clyde” Changed Hollywood’ was a great discussion on how these two films marked a shift in Hollywood. The panelists of professors brought their individual knowledge about the films to the discussion, and each commented on how these narratives challenged the outdated the Hollywood censorship system. They spoke of the European influence on American cinema at this time, specifically being influenced by the French new wave. Although the film industry was controlled by the same group of people at this time, the intricacies of the gender relations debate occurring in the industry are exposed in the narratives.

The professors discussed how these films brought a refreshing, liberal perspective on the representation of gender to the big screen. Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate portray women differently than ever before—their female characters are in positions of dominance in their relationships, as opposed to traditionally submissive roles. Bonnie is introduced as both the subject and the object, as opposed to solely being the object of the male gaze. Bonnie is, instead, the desirer. When she sees Clyde at the beginning of the film from her window, she holds the gaze. Her desire essentially drives the narrative, which is a commentary on the declining influence of men in society. While she is in control of their relationship, she is still objectified by the camera. In the opening scene, she is nude. On the one hand, she commands her sexuality and affirms her independence, yet, on the other, she is still portrayed as a sexual object.

Similarly, in The Graduate, Mrs. Robinson controls her relationship with Ben. Her character portrays female sexuality in a new way. She takes on the dominant role and seduces him. It is Ben who occupies the submissive role. While Mrs. Robinson is portrayed as a strong woman who is aware of the effect her hypersexuality has on men, she is depicted as a predator. She is portrayed as animalistic, and her room where she seduces Ben is meant to emulate a jungle. She is clothed in animal print and embodies the role of the hunter in the wild. Unlike Bonnie, Mrs. Robinson is not the subject of the film; her role in the film is limited to how she effects Ben. She is the pitied, until she becomes a monster who accuses Ben of sexual assault.