Editing The Graduate (section)

===Casting===
Nichols' first choice for Mrs. Robinson was French actress [[Jeanne Moreau]].<ref>Audio commentary by Mike Nichols and Steven Soderbergh in Criterion Collection BD and DVD.</ref> The motivation for this was the cliché that in French culture, "older" women tended to "train" the younger men in sexual matters. Casting for the project was challenging.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cinephiliabeyond.org/the-graduate-mike-nichols-sophomore-effort-that-shook-the-united-states/ |title='The Graduate': Mike Nichols' Sophomore Effort that Shook the United States |last=Mikulec |first=Sven |website=Cinephilia Beyond|date=February 26, 2016 }}</ref> [[Doris Day]] turned down an offer because the nudity required by the role offended her.<ref name=mcgee>{{cite book| title=Doris Day: Sentimental Journey| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cfbcA3zFlNgC&q=doris+day+graduate&pg=PT326| last=McGee| first=Garry| date=November 22, 2011| page=160| publisher=McFarland| isbn=978-0-7864-6107-3| access-date=2014-03-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/5/13/18617650/doris-day-life-films-legacy-rock-hudson-terry-melcher-manson | title=Doris Day was a conservative icon amid a turbulent counterculture. But her life belied her persona | date=May 13, 2019 |website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/obituaries/doris-day-death.html | title=Doris Day, Movie Star Who Charmed America, Dies at 97 | work=The New York Times | date=May 13, 2019 | last1=Harmetz | first1=Aljean }}</ref> [[Shelley Winters]], [[Ingrid Bergman]], [[Eva Marie Saint]], [[Ava Gardner]], [[Patricia Neal]], [[Susan Hayward]], [[Deborah Kerr]], [[Rita Hayworth]], [[Lana Turner]] and [[Geraldine Page]] were also considered for the role of Mrs. Robinson.<ref name ="vulture" /><ref name="Kashner" />

[[Dustin Hoffman]] was cast as Liebkind in the [[Mel Brooks]] film ''[[The Producers (1967 film)|The Producers]]'' (1967), but before filming began Hoffman begged Brooks to let him go to audition for ''The Graduate''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Desowitz |first=Bill |date=April 25, 2018 |title='The Producers' Turns 50: Mel Brooks Explains Why His Subversive Comedy Is Still Relevant |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/04/the-producers-mel-brooks-interview-tcm-film-festival-1201957140/ |access-date=October 23, 2022 |website=[[IndieWire]]}}</ref> When Dustin Hoffman auditioned for the role of Benjamin, he was just short of his 30th birthday at the time of filming. He was asked to perform a love scene with Ross, having previously never done one, and believed that, as he said later, "a girl like [Ross] would never go for a guy like me in a million years". Ross agreed, believing that Hoffman "looked about 3 feet tall ... so unkempt. This is going to be a disaster." Producer [[Joseph E. Levine]] later admitted that he at first believed Hoffman "was one of the messenger boys". Despite – or perhaps because of – Hoffman's awkwardness, Nichols chose him for the film.<ref name="life19671124">{{cite magazine| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eEkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA111| title=The Graduate| magazine=[[Life (magazine)|Life]]| date=24 November 1967| access-date=2014-03-03| last=Zeitlin| first=David| page=111| archive-date=May 10, 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510020202/http://books.google.com/books?id=eEkEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA71&pg=PA111| url-status=live}}</ref>

"As far as I'm concerned, Mike Nichols did a very courageous thing casting me in a part that I was not right for, meaning I was Jewish," said Hoffman. "In fact, many of the reviews were very negative. It was kind of veiled anti-Semitism.... I was called 'big-nosed' in the reviews; 'a nasal voice'."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.680news.com/2015/03/25/dustin-hoffman-says-he-understands-the-worries-of-young-singers-in-boychoir/ | title=Dustin Hoffman says he understands the worries of young singers in 'Boychoir' | first=Victoria | last=Ahearn | date=March 25, 2015 | work=680 NEWS | access-date=2018-11-27 | archive-date=December 13, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181213130543/https://www.680news.com/2015/03/25/dustin-hoffman-says-he-understands-the-worries-of-young-singers-in-boychoir/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Hoffman was paid $20,000 for his role in the film, but netted just $4,000 after taxes and living expenses. After spending that money, Hoffman filed for New York State [[unemployment benefits]], receiving $55 per week while living in a two-room apartment in the [[West Village]] of [[Manhattan]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sullivan|first=Dan|date=1967-12-30|title=New-Found Stardom Worries Dustin Hoffman|page=15|work=The New York Times |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1967/12/30/91667953.html?pageNumber=15 |access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref>

Before Hoffman was cast, [[Robert Redford]] and [[Charles Grodin]] were among the top choices. Redford tested for the part of Benjamin (with [[Candice Bergen]] as Elaine), but Nichols thought Redford did not possess the underdog quality Benjamin needed.<ref name="Kashner" /> Grodin turned down the part at first because of the low $500/week salary offered by producer [[Lawrence Turman]]. Grodin was offered more money, but declined again because he did not believe he could prepare for a screen test for the film overnight. "If they had given me three days to prepare, I think I would have gotten the role," he said.<ref name="vulture">{{cite web|last=Evans |first=Bradford |title=The Lost Roles of 'The Graduate |website=Vulture |date=December 20, 2012 |url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/12/the-lost-roles-of-the-graduate.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124063548/https://www.vulture.com/2012/12/the-lost-roles-of-the-graduate.html |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Harrison Ford]] also auditioned for the role of Benjamin Braddock but was turned down.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=McqLdkUnTVgC&pg=PA144|title=Harrison Ford: The Films|isbn=9780786440481|last1=Duke|first1=Brad|date=July 2008|publisher=McFarland |access-date=May 30, 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602233120/https://books.google.com/books?id=McqLdkUnTVgC&pg=PA144|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Burt Ward]] was informally offered Hoffman's role, but was already committed to the role of Robin in the [[Batman (TV series)|''Batman'' television series]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Huver |first1=Scott |title=Holy Hollywood Star, Batman: Burt Ward Talks Road to Walk of Fame Honor |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/features/batman-burt-ward-hollywood-walk-of-fame-interview-1203453454/ |website=Variety |language=en |date=January 9, 2020 |access-date=2020-10-01 |archive-date=February 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226132451/https://variety.com/2020/tv/features/batman-burt-ward-hollywood-walk-of-fame-interview-1203453454/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Jack Nicholson]], [[Steve McQueen]], [[Anthony Perkins]], [[Warren Beatty]], [[George Peppard]], [[George Hamilton (actor)|George Hamilton]], [[Keir Dullea]], [[Brandon deWilde]] and [[Michael Parks]] were also considered for the role of Benjamin Braddock.<ref name ="vulture" /><ref name="Kashner" /><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/15/heres-to-you-mrs-robinson-why-the-graduate-unites-warring-generations-50-years-on | title=Here's to you, MRS Robinson: Why the Graduate unites warring generations 50 years on | newspaper=The Guardian | date=June 15, 2017 | last1=Jones | first1=Ellen E. }}</ref>

[[Ronald Reagan]] was considered for the part of Benjamin's father Mr. Braddock, which eventually went to William Daniels.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-03-28-9703280135-story.html | title=30 Years Haven't Dulled the Brilliance of 'The Graduate' | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=March 28, 1997 }}</ref> Nichols cast [[Gene Hackman]] as Mr. Robinson, but he was later fired after a few days of rehearsals; he was replaced by Murray Hamilton.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2004/03/gene-hackman-dustin-hoffman-hollywood | title=Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert Duvall: Three Friends Who Went from Rags to Riches | website=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] | date=August 15, 2013 }}</ref> Many years later, Hackman said that being fired from the film still hurt him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/11/14/gene-hackman-happy-with-his-career-despite-honorable-disappointments/ |title=Gene Hackman Happy with His Career Despite 'Honorable Disappointments' |date=1985-11-14 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

Despite playing mother and daughter, [[Anne Bancroft]] and [[Katharine Ross]] were only eight years apart in age. Bancroft and Hoffman differed less than six.