*This essay was originally written for English Composition class as a Critical Analysis Essay for instruction David White at CCV*
T/W: Talk about Death and Suicide
Harold and Maude is a movie I first learned about when I was 13 years old. I remember my mother talking about how we were going to watch it together. I remember asking her “What is it about” and she quickly just said “A young man falls in love with an old lady’ and I remember being confused and borderline disgusted. Then I watched the movie and I fell in love with it.
Harold and Maude was released in 1971, directed by Hal Ashbury, and follows the story of Harold who is played by Bud Cort. Harold is a young boy who is obsessed with death and terrorizing his wealthy socialite mother. He stages elaborate fake suicides and gets great enjoyment out of his mother’s over-the-top reactions. Throughout the movie, you see his mother’s mental state decline the more Harold pushes and how much Harold enjoys it. His mother sets him up on blind dates and even buys him a luxurious car in the hopes of curbing his bad behavior. Throughout the movie, Harold also meets with a therapist at the direction of his mother.
One of Harold’s other favorite activities is attending funerals where he meets 79-year-old Maude who is played by the beloved Ruth Gordon. Harold is instantly drawn to Maude due to her quirky personality and general outlook on life. In fact, one of their very first interactions involves Maude offering to give Harold a ride in his own stolen vehicle. Soon after, his mother sets up 3 blind dates which end horribly and comically with Harold doing what Harold does best: Staging suicides and completely horrifying his potential suitors.
Harold would rather spend time with Maude, and they develop a quick relationship, and the movie shows many fun adventures like saving a tree, stealing a police motorcycle, running from the police, enjoying a picnic, and just enjoying each other’s company. About halfway through the movie, it is revealed that Maude is a holocaust survivor when Harold catches a glimpse of numbers tattooed on her arm while holding her hand and it finally clicks why she has the outlook she does.
Harold announces to his mother that he found a woman he will be marrying, his mother is overjoyed at first but then is quickly disgusted when it’s found he is talking about Maude.
A controversial scene in the movie implies that Harold and Maude had sexual intercourse as they are pictured in bed, under the sheets while Harold is blowing bubbles.
The next scene involves a priest telling Harold “I would be remiss in my duty, if I did not tell you, that the idea of… intercourse – the fact of your firm, young… body… commingling with the… withered flesh… sagging breasts… and flabby b-b-buttocks… makes me want… to vomit.”
During the climax of the movie, which takes place on Maude’s 80th birthday, she reveals to Harold that she has taken sleeping pills intending to end her life. Harold rushes her to the hospital, and in the ambulance during their conversation, Harold says to Maude “You can’t die! I love you!”, Maude responds with “Oh, Harold… That’s wonderful. Go and love some more”. The next scene reveals that Maude did pass away on her 80th birthday.
The last scene of the movie shows Harold’s car speeding on a country road and plunging over a cliff. The next scene shows Harold walking away, playing his banjo and dancing.
When Harold and Maude was first released, it was commercially unsuccessful and years later developed a cult following, especially with fans of Ruth Gordon. Ruth Gordon developed a bit of a cult following herself after her appearance in the 1968 version of Rosemary’s Baby and then her appearance in Harold and Maude. She lived an incredibly long and successful life and began performing on Broadway at the age of 17 and continued to act into her 80s. She also wrote several plays, scripts, and books. Throughout her career, she earned several awards including an Academy Award, an Emmy as well as two Golden Globes. Her final role was in “The Troubles With Spies” which was filmed in 1984 but wasn’t released until 1987. She passed away in 1985.
Direction Hal Ashby directed twelve films during his career and sadly passed away in 1988 from cancer. Bud Cort has appeared in over 80 films and television shows, but it appears he stopped acting in 2016. There is little information available on what he is doing in 2023.
The music soundtrack was done by Cat Stevens who later changed his name to Yusuf Islam. The music is beautifully done and the song “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” as well as “Don’t Be Shy” were composed for the movie. The soundtrack is often credited as one of the best aspects of the movie and has been highly celebrated with several limited-edition rereleases.
Harold and Maude is one of my favorite movies, not only because of the message the movie portrays but the musical soundtrack. I feel the movie spreads a message that we should enjoy life, not be afraid to be seen and one special person can completely change our negative outlook on life. You see Harold change for the good throughout the movie as his and Maude’s relationship grows. Maude is also such a free spirit who enjoyed life and her suicide was not out of depression or pain, but because she felt it was her time to go. She lived a very full life and wanted to die with dignity and grace. Harold learned that he could deal with his pain and feelings through music and humor and look at life with joy.
The movie is full of wholesome moments as well as comedy and really is a movie I think everyone should watch once. I feel like Maude also teaches Harold it’s okay to love and be loved. I feel like experiencing Maude’s death also opened Harold’s eyes to actual death and thus breaks his obsession with staging fake suicides. Maude as well as the song “Don’t Be Shy” really pushes the message that it is okay to be different and we should all embrace our differences as well as live in general. The last scene really speaks that Harold understands the importance of how precious life is and how important it is to cherish every single moment.
I have such a strong draw to this movie, not only because I have fond memories of watching it with my mother but because I also find it to be a beautiful movie.
Reading reviews of the movie, most are positive with it even boosting an 86% Tomatometer score, and a 93% Audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Negative reviews often point out that it’s too dark and twisted and can even be boring. I really feel like this movie is subjective and one that you need to go into with an open mind. Those who love the movie call it uplifting, and different, and the soundtrack is one of the best. The soundtrack is so beloved that when there was a 50th-anniversary edition released, it was well-received and sold out quickly. It featured additional dialog and instrumentals from the movie and even an unheard audio master of “Don’t Be Shy” and “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out.”.
Sources:
“Harold and Maude.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 20 Dec. 1971, www.imdb.com/title/tt0067185/.
Quinn, Elizabeth. “Harold and Maude: 50 Years on, Hal Ashby’s Box-Office Bomb Is a Black Comedy Classic.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 30 Nov. 2021, www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/dec/01/harold-and-maude-50-years-on-hal-ashbys-box-office-bomb-is-a-black-comedy-classic.
Higgins, Colin. “Harold and Maude.” Rotten Tomatoes, 1 Jan. 1971, www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harold_and_maude.