4. Mrs Robinson - The Graduate
Mrs Robinson, played with a sharp edge by Anne Bancroft, is truly an enigma wrapped in a conundrum. She is a deeply unhappy woman who begins a secret affair with young Ben Braddock. Mrs Robinson runs hot and cold, and her motivations and emotions are deeply buried. We know that she doesn't have a good relationship with her husband, and that she's dissatisfied with her life. She is fiercely protective of her daughter, whom Benjamin falls in love with, and doesn't believe that he is good enough for her. Their post-coital conversations in the hotel room reveal a little bit about Mrs Robinson, but barely scratch the surface of the mysterious older woman. There are tantalizing hints into the hidden depths, but no more than that. Her actions come off as sudden and aggressive sometimes, but Bancroft has created such a nuanced and well-developed character that they all seem organic and truthful.