Screenwriters: Calder Willingham, Buck Henry, Charles Webb

Producers: Mike Nichols, Lawrence Turman

Well, it’s very comfortable just to drift here. If you dig nihilism with your sex comedy, look no further than Mike Nichols’ brilliantly existential classic. Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) has just finished college and, back at his parents’ house, he’s trying to avoid the one question everyone keeps asking: What does he want to do with his life? An unexpected diversion crops up when he is seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), a bored housewife and friend of his parents. But what begins as a fun tryst turns complicated when Benjamin falls for the one woman Mrs. Robinson demanded he stay away from, her daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross). Hoffman is pitch-perfect as he lazes his days on the pool floaty, Anne Bancroft is beyond iconic in this sexy, powerful, and manipulative role, and Mike Nichols is at his peak (and won the Oscar for Best Director). Add in a soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel, and you’ve got unadulterated cinematic magic! Hilarious, influential, and more philosophical than your average comedy, this film is more than one of the best comedies of the 1960s, it’s simply one of the best American films ever.

Accessibility Options: Amplified Audio, please see the box office for devices.