A Primeira Noite de um Homem

The Graduate, 35 anos depois

Tenho, finalmente, o DVD "A Primeira Noite de um Homem" (The Graduate). Sei que muitos vão torcer o nariz ao ler este post. Pouco me importa. É um dos meus filmes prediletos. Foi às telas em 1967 e ainda mantém a atualidade (seria um clichê?).

Dustin Hoffman vive Benjamim Bradock, um jovem recém-formado que ainda não sabe o que fazer da vida, e sufocado por valores hipócritas. Toda sua frustração será convertida na busca da realização de seus desejos e toma por amante a mulher do chefe de seu pai, a Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). A situação complica quando Benjamim conheçe Elaine (Katherine Ross), filha de Mrs. Robinson e torna-se seu namorado.

A cena final foi muito copiada pelas telenovelas brasileiras - aquela em que o antigo namorado revoltado impede o casamento da mulher amada "roubando-a" do altar.

Hoffman tinha 30 anos quando estrelou "The Graduate" e Anne Brancroft tinha 36. Hoffman foi a terceira opção para o papel, que tinha sido recusado por Robert Redford e Charles Grodin.



Mrs. Robinson, You make me feel so hepless



Mrs. Robinson e as habituais crises de ciúme




Eu também queria ser um escravo de Mrs. Robinson



Jesus loves you more than you will know (Wo wo wo)

*****

Mrs. Robinson: Would you mind walking ahead of me to the sun porch. I feel funny about coming into a dark house.
Ben: But it's light in there.
Mrs. Robinson: Please. (She shuts the front door, enclosing him in the house. They enter the sunroom.)
Mrs. Robinson: What do you drink? Bourbon?
Ben: Look, uh, Mrs. Robinson, I drove you home. I was glad to do it. But I have some things on my mind. Can you understand that?
Mrs. Robinson: Yes. (She nods)
Ben: All right.
Mrs. Robinson: (She prepares drinks for both of them.) What do you drink? Benjamin. I'm sorry to be this way, but I don't want to be left alone in this house.
Ben: Why not?
Mrs. Robinson: Please wait till my husband gets home.
Ben: When is he coming back?
Mrs. Robinson: I don't know. Drink?
Ben: No. (She hands him one anyway.) Are you always this much afraid of being alone?
Mrs. Robinson: Yes.
Ben: Well, why can't you just lock the doors and go to bed?
Mrs. Robinson: I'm very neurotic. (She turns on some music.) May I ask you a question? What do you think of me?
Ben: What do you mean?
Mrs. Robinson: You've known me nearly all your life. You must have formed some opinion of me.
Ben: Well, I always thought that you were a very...nice...person.
Mrs. Robinson: Did you know I was an alcoholic?
Ben: What?
Mrs. Robinson: Did you know that?
Ben: Look, I think I should be going.
Mrs. Robinson: Sit down, Benjamin.
Ben (in a panic, now standing): Mrs. Robinson, if you don't mind my saying so, this conversation is getting a little strange. Now, I'm sure that Mr. Robinson will be here any minute now and -
Mrs. Robinson: No.
Ben: What?
Mrs. Robinson: My husband will be back quite late. He should be gone for several hours.
Ben: Oh my god. (He retreats)
Mrs. Robinson: Pardon?
Ben: Oh no, Mrs. Robinson, oh no.
Mrs. Robinson: What's wrong?
Ben: Mrs. Robinson, you didn't - I mean, you didn't expect -
Mrs. Robinson: What?
Ben: I mean, you didn't really think that I would do something like that.
Mrs. Robinson: Like what?
Ben: What do you think?
Mrs. Robinson: Well, I don't know.
Ben: For God's sake, Mrs. Robinson, here we are, you've got me into your house. You give me a drink. You put on music, now you start opening up your personal life to me and tell me your husband won't be home for hours.
Mrs. Robinson: So?
Ben (naively): (The camera shoots under her upraised leg, framing Ben underneath) Mrs. Robinson - you are trying to seduce me .... Aren't you? Mrs. Robinson: Well, no. I hadn't thought of it. I feel very flattered.
Ben: Mrs. Robinson. Will you forgive me for what I just said?