The Graduate

The Graduate
The Graduate
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mike Nichols
Screenplay by	Calder Willingham; Buck Henry;
Based on	The Graduate; (1963 novella); by Charles Webb
Produced by	Lawrence Turman
Starring	Anne Bancroft; Dustin Hoffman; Katharine Ross;
Cinematography	Robert Surtees
Edited by	Sam O'Steen
Music by	Paul Simon (songs); Dave Grusin (score);
Production; company	Lawrence Turman Productions
Distributed by	Embassy Pictures (U.S.); United Artists (International);
Release dates	December 20, 1967 (premiere); December 21, 1967 (U.S.);
Running time	106 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$3 million
Box office	$104.9 million (North America);

The Graduate is a 1967 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols, adapted by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham from Charles Webb's 1963 novella. It stars Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, and Katharine Ross. The film follows Benjamin Braddock (Hoffman), a recent college graduate who is seduced by an older married woman, Mrs. Robinson (Bancroft), but falls for her daughter, Elaine (Ross). The soundtrack was recorded by Simon & Garfunkel, and featured the hit single "Mrs. Robinson".

Produced independently and distributed domestically by Embassy Pictures, The Graduate was released December 21, 1967. It grossed $104.9 million in the United States and Canada, making it the highest-grossing film of 1967 in North America. Adjusted for inflation (as of 2021), its gross is $857 million, making it the 22nd-highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada. It received seven nominations at the 40th Academy Awards, with Nichols winning for Best Director.

In 1996, The Graduate was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The American Film Institute ranked it the 7th-greatest American film in 1997 and the 17th-greatest in 2007. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made.