RUMOR HAS IT

US, 2005, 97 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley Mac Laine, Mark Ruffalo, Mena Suvari, Richard Jenkins, Kathy Bates, Christoher Mc Donald.
Directed by Rob Reiner

Rumor Has It is based on an interesting idea. It posits the theory that a real family was the basis for the 1967 film The Graduate.

This film was directed by Rob Reiner who had great success in the 80s and the 90s with such films as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally (all in the 80s) then Misery, A Few Good Men, The American President and Ghosts of Mississippi (in the 1990s). After that he had less success with such films as The Story of Us, Alex and Emma and Rumor Has It.

Jennifer Aniston plays a woman who learns that her family was the inspiration for both the book and the film of The Graduate. She discovers that it involved her grandmother, played acerbically by Shirley Mac Laine, who was the Mrs Robinson character, and Kevin Costner who was the equivalent of Dustin Hoffman character. She goes in search of Kevin Costner, has something of a relationship with him – and then, there is the sinister implication, that she may be his granddaughter.

The film also stars Mark Ruffalo as Aniston’s fiancé, a rather thankless character for this kind of film. Richard Jenkins, however, is particularly good as her father. Christopher Mc Donald and Mina Suvari also appear in the supporting cast.

The film was not well received, somehow or other Jennifer Aniston was not persuasive in the central role although Kevin Costner in pleasing laidback. Shirley MacLaine? has done this kind of role a number of times – but it was done more effectively and more sympathetically just before this in In Her Shoes.

While the hypothesis is interesting, the film is less so.

1.A popular romantic comedy, the romantic comic style? The background to The Graduate? The star presence in the film?

2.A film based on a true rumour, the plausibility or not? The history of The Graduate? The theme of The Graduate in reverse, the next generation? The point about the seduction, the marriage, the affairs? Mrs Robinson in her later years? Benjamin Braddock (as Beau Burrows) in his later years?

3.The collage of the 60s, the memories of the 60s, Barry Goldwater, J.F.K., the events of 1963?

4.The story of The Graduate, the Pasadena background, Charles Webb and his publishing the book, the glimpses of the gossip about who the characters were? The impact of the movie, the scene of Mrs Robinson and the seduction? The use of Simon and Garfunkel music? Audiences familiar with The Graduate?

5.The introduction to Sarah, Jennifer Aniston and her style? On the plane, talking to Jeff, hiding her engagement ring, her upset, their talk, going to the toilet, the fumbling sex and the accident? Her dread of meeting her family? A woman of feelings? Her age, her journalistic job, obituaries? The contrast with Anne and her excitement about the wedding? Her distance from her father, his driving, talk about sport, holding breath through the tunnel? Her relationship with her grandmother – and her not being allowed to call her that? With Aunt Mitzi? The talks with her grandmother and her aunt, the stories about her mother, her mother being away before the wedding, away with Beau Burrows? Her relationship with Jeff, loving him, hesitant about marriage, afraid and uncertain? Getting in to get the video? The wedding, her nervousness, phone calls, finding out where Beau was, the touches of anxiety and hysteria?

6.The wedding, the family assembling, Anne and her shrill excitement, tennis partner with Scott, Scott as a decent young man? Her making the decisions? The ceremony, the aftermath, her delight in being Mrs? The honeymoon and her collapse, the return, the hysterics, wanting Sarah, their talk, sharing and understanding? Sarah’s explaining how Anne related with Scott – the basis for a marriage? The reconciliation of the two sisters? Confiding secrets? Anne and Scott going to start again?

7.Jeff, lawyer, his relationship with Sarah, loving her, the proposal, helping her, on the plane, the turbulence, the episode in the toilet? Keeping the engagement a secret? His being genial with her father, the sport, the tunnels? Getting the video? Getting the approval of the rest of the family? The wedding, allowing Sarah to go to San Francisco? Her taking his phone? The call? His seeing her kissing Beau? His being hurt, the return to New York?

8.Sarah and her going to San Francisco, listening to Beau’s talk, being charmed by him? His personality, the speech, his popularity? The pressure for him to do the business deals? Her frank asking the questions, the explanation of his sterility (and the later irony that Sarah’s father had caused the injury)? His son suddenly turning up and Sarah’s anger, the embarrassment, his not having let his son know about the in-vitro? The business deals? The night with Sarah? Her fears that he was her father (and the table conversation and the discussions about Chinatown and its themes)? Her upset, seeing Jeff, her returning to Los Angeles? Beau following her, the acerbic encounter with Grandmother, the memories of the past? His telling her the truth about Jocelyn, his love for her, but her returning to her husband? A nice man?

9.Shirley Mac Laine as the grandmother, Mrs Robinson thirty years later? Smoking at the party, drinking, sardonic, brewing a pot of gin? Her place in the family, the secrets, the information about her daughter, the wedding? Her relating to Sarah, to Anne and treating her with her hysterics? The talk with Beau, the clash? At the end at the wedding?

10.Kathy Bates as Aunt Mitzi, the gossip, the chat with Sarah?

11.Sarah’s father, a nice and good man, with his daughter, the wedding, his speech? Beau and the tackle and the memories? Yet his knowing about his wife? The final talk with Sarah, the truth, his talking about her mother’s love for him, her conception on the night of her return?

12.Sarah and her finally going to Jeff, his shutting the door, her shame, her going out, his running down the stairs, the happiness? The end?

13.The American hysterics, Sarah, the episode with Anne? Grandmother and her becoming involved in the hysterics? The contrast with the father, a good man – especially his final talk with Sarah?

14.The background of The Graduate and folklore about it? As the context for a romantic comedy, with its expectations and happy ending?