Harold and Maude (1971)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Hal Ashby

Writer:

Colin Higgins (written by)

Release Date:

20 December 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

They will defy everything you've ever seen or heard about screen lovers! [Video]

Plot:

Young, rich, and obsessed with death, Harold finds himself changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral.

Plot Keywords:

Funeral | Suicide | Fake Suicide | Junkyard | Fireworks

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 14

6:15 PM

TCM

Cast

Ruth Gordon	...	Maude
Bud Cort	...	Harold
Vivian Pickles	...	Mrs. Chasen
Cyril Cusack	...	Glaucus
Charles Tyner	...	Uncle Victor
Ellen Geer	...	Sunshine Doré
Eric Christmas	...	Priest
G. Wood	...	Psychiatrist
Judy Engles	...	Candy Gulf
Shari Summers	...	Edith Phern
Tom Skerritt	...	Motorcycle Officer (as M. Borman)
Susan Madigan	...	Girlfriend
Ray K. Goman	...	Police Officer (as Ray Goman)
Gordon Devol	...	Police Officer (as Gordon DeVol)
Harvey Brumfield	...	Police Officer

Also Known As:

Ensina-me a Viver (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Harold et Maude (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Harold e Maude (Italy) [it]
Harold i Maude (Poland) [pl]
Harold ja Maude (Finland) [fi]
Harold og Maude (Denmark) [da]
Harold und Maude (West Germany) [de]
Harold ve Maude (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Harold y Maude (Joven chalado millonario seduce a vieja chiflada) (Spain) [es]
Ta trella kapritsia tou Harold (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:18 (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 (2005) | USA:Approved (No. 23028) | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Berkeley, California, USA

Company:

Mildred Lewis and Colin Higgins Productions

Trivia:

To avoid an 'R' rating, an offensive swear word had to be eliminated from the scene in which Harold and Maude are sitting under the sunset.

Goofs:

Continuity: About 50 minutes into the film, when Maude is doing donuts around the officer, the driver-side window of the truck is alternately up/down between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mrs. Chasen: [after spotting Harold hanging from a noose in the living room] I suppose you think that's very funny, Harold... Oh, dinner at eight, Harold. And do try and be a little more vivacious.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)

Soundtrack:

On the Road to Find Out

The reason movies exist!

I only saw this film quite recently but it hopped straight to my number one film of all time. It is beautiful. Bud Cort is charming as Harold and Ruth Gordon - dare I say cute? As Maude. If I look like her when I'm eighty I'll be out there nicking cars and fluttering my eyelashes at policemen too! Maude wrenches Harold free from his morbid and lonely existence to show him how lush and amazing the world can be and he emerges from his experiences a happy man. This is definitely one of the films that (along with say, Fight Club, American Beauty and The Rocky Horror Picture Show) show you can be who you want to be, and you needn't let anyone oppress you. It's brilliant. Everyone should know a Maude. It has inspired me to buy a banjo and play Cat Stevens songs.