Movies from the Heart—Rumor Has It

Everyone knows the classic film, The Graduate [1967] by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry. It’s the story of a recent college grad, Ben, who doesn’t know what to do with his life and slides into an affair with one of his parents’ best friends, Mrs. Robinson.

That film ends with us wondering how Ben and his new relationship—with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine, will survive. They’ve escaped from the marriage Elaine’s parents had wanted for her—with Ben’s help—and are riding in the back of a bus, going… well, we’re not sure, are we? What does the future hold for them? Will they stay together?

So it’s quite easy to imagine a sequel to this film. And that sequel could go in any number of directions. Take a look at a trailer for the direction it DID go in Rumor Has It [2005] by Ted Griffin.

The thing is, this was a good idea for a film. It could have been really interesting. And you could sit around and come up with a plethora of ideas for how a sequel to The Graduate might be told. Think about it. You could pick up right where the story left off and explore where their relationship would go. OR you could join the couple one year later when they have a child. OR you could join the couple 3 years later when they’re getting a divorce. OR you could join the couple 20 years later when they’re both having affairs. OR you join the couple 30 years later when Elaine has an affair with her daughter’s fiancé. The possibilities are endless.

So it’s interesting that this story is the one they went for. Sarah returns home for her sister’s wedding—her own fiancé in tow—and discovers that her family is the basis for the book The Graduate. She can’t believe this! Her mother, alas, is dead, so she can’t quiz her. But her grandmother, Katherine, is very much alive and intimates that, yes, both she and her daughter had affairs with the Benjamin character in the film—who in real life, is the immensely rich and successful Beau Burroughs. Note the name—the author named the character “Benjamin Braddock” so the double Bs in the name fit.

But as Sarah can’t get a straight answer from grandma about all of this, she goes to Half Moon Bay in California to visit the elusive Mr. Burroughs—she needs someone to tell her the truth!

And, of course, she sleeps with him… so that makes three generations of women in her family. And her boyfriend… is not happy.

The thing is, this was all played for laughs—and I think it would have been much stronger if had been more nuanced.

But here is something to think about. If someone gave you the assignment to write a sequel to The Graduate, what story would you choose to tell?

Next week a blockbuster of a romantic film where romance actually wasn’t the center— The Devil Wears Prada.

Copyright © Diane Lake

11Aug24

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com