The Diplomat (1967)

Does anyone actually have a copy of *Diplomacy* on DVD? I’ve scoured the internet and turned up absolutely nothing. It’s becoming a nightmare to track down. Does anyone out there happen to own it?

Jack, I caught a rerun of *The Graduate* on ABC yesterday—you know, that scene where a totally aggressive older woman like Anna Bancroft goes after a young Dustin Hoffman. Honestly, I had no idea they were filming stuff like that back in the 60s. Such a killer movie. It kind of gives me *Donnie Dark* vibes, too... I guess both characters just have that same sort of lost, confused energy.

I thought it was a fantastic film; that musical score at the end really served as the perfect finishing touch. 👍
Plus, I’ve always personally considered Hoffman to be one of the better actors out there.

Benjamin Stewart53 said:Jack, I was watching ABC yesterday and saw a clip of young Dustin Hoffman being pursued by a seductive Anna Bancroft... I honestly had no idea they were filming scenes like that back in the sixties! It’s such an incredible movie, and seeing him, it actually reminds me a bit of Donnie Dark, since both characters share this same sort of awkward, lost energy...

"Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me.... Aren't you?" 🙏

My late mother used to say: "you'd be better off dropping dead than letting someone lead you astray"... 😵

I was actually pretty shocked by how much Mrs. Robinson shut down once she finally got Hoffman into bed. I honestly thought she’d start rambling about her life story or trying to give him some deep life lessons mid-act, but nope—nothing. She was just totally passive, like all she really wanted was the sex. What do you guys think—is there a reason she acted like that? Maybe the author was trying to paint a picture of that whole generation of women who were basically expected to just be housewives and play second fiddle to their husbands? Or is there something else going on here.

You wrote the answer yourself.

Benjamin Stewart53 said:She just wanted sex. What do you guys think—what’s the explanation for her behavior?

She wanted sex. To me, the best line in the movie is when he says he wants to talk, and she snaps back asking what there is to talk about regarding her colleague. There’s your answer right there.

The woman has lived her life—she's in a loveless marriage, lacking intimacy, and she just wanted to feel alive again; she has everything else covered materially. Her pathology with her daughter adds another layer—Mrs. Robinson assessed from the jump that her daughter and Dustin would likely be a good match, and she wanted to avoid that at all costs. Is it simple jealousy? Possessiveness? Maybe she just despises her daughter because their personalities are polar opposites—or perhaps it's regret over not being with the man she actually loved in her youth? Who knows. It's probably just that whole cocktail of life's failures and bitterness.

The whole premise falls a bit flat for me, though—this guy playing Dustin doesn't quite have that fatal magnetism required to tear a family apart like a true femme fatale instigator. If it were young Brando, I might buy it. He acts perfectly well, but the character lacks the raw charisma to be truly devastating. Thankfully, the directing carries the film.

Nah, you're wrong there. I'm positive there are millions of cases where all sorts of guys have wrecked marriages, including types like Hoffman who give off that innocent vibe to women. Some women fall for it—these guys aren't out here acting like Brando; they just radiate insecurity instead.

No, honestly, even Brando is incredibly unstable. It’s not about insecurity—it’s just that certain people possess this raw, natural sexual charisma. He’d probably have an easier time playing someone like young Dean, Brando, or Warren Beatty, but I doubt any of them could capture that innate, autistic confusion Hoffman brings to the screen at the start of the film.

I find it fascinating how much of a fatal attraction the "good guy" becomes; Mrs. Robinson clearly wanted to feed off his pure, well-meaning nature—it’s pretty obvious. It's a compelling dynamic because Mrs. Robinson acts like that old, wicked cowboy riding into town to corrupt an innocent girl in some gritty dive bar—Dustin. Plus, by the second half, we’ve transitioned into the '60s... which is why the film remains so vital.

Easily one of the top 10 films ever made...

And honestly, it hits even harder when you watch it at seventeen...

To me, this movie is primarily about growing up and finally owning your own actions.

At its core, you could describe the film as a satire of that era.
Every single character is miserable. They all commit these acts and then just sweep them under the rug immediately after.
Take Mrs. Robinson, for instance; she had a child and rushed into a marriage without any real love. That kid is basically the byproduct of pure irresponsibility.
Then there’s Benjamin, who is just completely lost in time and space.
Pair those two together—young and old, good and evil, experienced versus naive, married versus single—and you have a recipe for disaster.
It happens because nobody stops to think about the fallout if someone actually finds out. You've got Ben's parents already mapping out his entire life without ever bothering to ask him what he wants.

And then we have Elaine, who is arguably the most normal person in the whole thing. Relatively speaking. Though, even she is an eighteen-year-old who decides to get married only to bolt from her own wedding... 😁

The best part is how the ending suggests that both Ben and Elaine are right back where they started: lost. That look they share after the escape—that "Now what??" expression—is legendary.

I don't doubt they'll find a way to scrape by, but there's really no telling what their lives will look like given how reckless they've been.

So, I just finished watching this movie... a total classic. Truly timeless.

It’s a film about intimacy and desire, yet it avoids explicit scenes entirely—which is pure genius.

The acting was top-notch. Every single performer hit their mark; it’s a simple story, but executed perfectly.

This flick was way ahead of its time. A massive cultural shockwave back in 1967.

There’s even a bit of a supporting role involving that gorgeous little Ford. 🙏

Essentially, the plot explores what a man in love will do for a woman he's known forever. He'll go to any length. Absolutely anything.

I love how it portrays men as men and women as women; it doesn't lean on those modern tropes we see everywhere today.

The movie feels somewhat dreamlike and surreal... it steps away from all the clutter of that era and stays detached from social or existential drama.

Regardless, it’s a masterpiece that stands the test of time. 🙏

I’ve seen this one many times over the years. I always find that final moment so striking—when Ben uses the cross to defend himself, and it ends up saving them both by acting as a symbolic "deadbolt."

Great movie, but I honestly can't wrap my head around how Dustin managed to pull in that many gorgeous women... in the real world, there's zero chance a guy like that would have any luck.