Dramatic Irony

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In in the climax of Shampoo, dramatic irony occurs when Lester, who speculates that George is gay, stumbles upon George and Jackie having sex on the kitchen floor. Impressed, Lester exclaims “Now that’s what I called fucking!,” completely unaware of who they are. It isn’t until the refrigerator door opens and illuminates the scene for Lester to realize that it is George who is making love to the girl, who is no one else but Lester’s mistress. Additionally, in an interview with Roger Ebert, Warren Beatty (who played George) describes Shampoo as “a movie about the intermingling of political and sexual hypocrisy” (Beatty). The story sets on an election night that resulted in Nixon’s presidential victory, and broadcasts of Nixon’s election repeatedly…show more content…
In both movies, the use of funny one-liners prevails as one of the most effective way to guarantee laughter. When Benjamin is approached at a party in The Graduate by Mr. McGuire, he makes sure Benjamin is giving him his full attention before delivering what eventually became #42 on the list of top 100 movie quotes in American cinema by the American Film Institute: “Plastics.” Mr. McGuire then follows his one-liner by explaining that the plastics industry is going to be the ‘thing’ to be in and advises that Benjamin get on that immediately. The curtness of the quote contrasts with its excessive buildup and creates a hilarious moment early in the film.. Besides its comedic effect, the line also emphasizes the shallowness of the sixties, taking jabs at the smug, materialistic, and self-righteous middle class at a time when the latest Tupperware is all the talk of the town, with Mrs. Robinson as the epitome of the all this shallowness and materialism. Their adulterous and destructive affair, with Mrs. Robinson constantly preying after Benjamin for sex and sex only, is portrayed with coldness and indifference and ultimately hinders the genuine, heartfelt connection between Benjamin and Elaine, a glimmering flicker of hope in this troubled and corrupted sixties. The young couple contrasts with the adults in the film, who all embody the artificiality and phoniness (plastic-like
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