Harold and Maude
Harold and Maude is a 1971 movie, directed by Hal Ashby. The screenplay on which the film was based was written by Colin Higgins, and published as a novel in 1984.
Summary
The film first introduces us to Harold, an alienated teenaged boy from a wealthy family who lives in a large mansion with his dominating mother. Harold stages realistic mock suicides. This has evidently been going on for so long that his mother takes no notice, other than when Harold causes a particular mess with his fake blood. For amusement, Harold attends funerals of people he doesn't know. At these he repeatedly sees Maude, a 79 year-old woman who befriends him. Maude is very much his opposite: energetic, impulsive, and light-hearted. The two form an unlikely friendship, then romance.
The film features dark humor, social satire (including anti-war), promotes the notion of living life to its fullest, and has long had a cult following.
Cast
Crew
- Cinematography by: John Alonzo
Music
The soundtrack is by Cat Stevens, and includes two songs which he composed specifically for the movie and which were unavailable for several decades on vinyl or cassette (they were later released on the compact disc Footsteps in the Dark).
Awards and nominations
