The basic story tells the tale of what happens when a young man (Dustin Hoffman), who is in love with a young woman (Katharine Ross), finds himself in the awkward position of having to fight off unwanted advances by the young woman's mother (Ann Bancroft). How does one handle seduction attempts from a possible future mother-in-law?

Hoffman, in his first starring role, dazzled critics. Audiences found the average looking Hoffman an enormously sympathetic screen figure, and still do, some 30+ years later.

Of the other actors, Anne Bancroft, as the seductive Mrs. Robinson, Murray Hamilton, as her husband, and William Daniels as Hoffman's dad, are each indelible, highly accurate, satiric portraits of establishment adults. Katharine Ross is fresh and desirable as Mrs. Robinson's daughter. She followed up this film with "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," making her one of the most popular love interests of the late 60's, particularly among high school and college age males, (trust me on this).

My favorite scene takes place at Hoffman's family home. Tired of being pestered by his parents concerning his plans for the future, he dons a wet suit and scuba gear, proceeds to hang out on the bottom of the family pool. Very cool!

Simon & Garfunkle composed and sang the wildly popular soundtrack score. Although none of the songs, with the exception of "Mrs. Robinson," were actually written for the movie, Simon & Garfunkle's songs perfectly fit the mood of the movie, as well as of the times.

The film's insightful script was written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham, adapted from Charles Webb's popular novel. The film's two most quoted lines are, "Are you trying to seduce me Mrs. Robinson?" and "Plastics!" the field that the young college grad is advised to enter.