Plot: What’s it about?
Do you sing & dance?
That is the question.
If you can make it through the movie without being put off my its low production values and very odd story then the answer is predetermined.
If you watch it once, watch it twice. That will make certain you watch it three times.
Between the 2nd and 3rd viewings makes sure you have $30 of available funds. You will shortly be surfing off to Amazon.com or driving off to the local CD superstore to buy a few Cat Steven’s albums.
And, of course, you will have to rent “Rosemary’s Baby” to do a double take at the differences of Ruth Gordon’s characters.
Yes, “Harold in Maude”, is more than a movie. This review is 100% biased. I am a lemming sucked in to its cult philosophy.
I now sing & dance.
But let’s backtrack to the actual movie.
Genre: Love Story
Plot: not much at all
Music: Cat Stevens and more and more Cat Stevens.
Harold & Maude is the VERY quirky love story between a rich 21 year old who takes GREAT fun in faking suicides for his mother’s “benefit” and an 79 year old lower class Maude.
Let’s establish Harold’s life before he meets Maude from an opening scene:
Harold swings…apparently dead…from a rope in a huge luxurious living room. Mother comes in and takes a casual look…picks up the phone and talks for a few seconds to a friend about diner plans. She hangs up the phone…turns to the swinging [and still apparently dead Harold] and say VERY drolly, “Diner at eight Harold. And this time do try to be just a little bit more vivacious.”
Later his mother says to Harold: “Harold, you have led a very carefree idle HAPPY life till now…but its time to put away childish things and take on more ADULT responsibilities…in short, Harold, I have decied it is time that you got married!”
If you are as smart as I know you are I am sure you noticed the clever contrast of HAPPY & Marriage in this sentence.
Harold does eventually want to get married…but trust me his mother, priest and militant uncle will NOT like the idea of him marrying an 80 year old crazy women.
Maude: She lives in a trailer and frequently snorts from bottles of canned odors like “snowfall in NY”. She steals cars whenever she needs a ride [“I just try to remind people that they should never get too atatched to material things”] and she models in the nude for ice sculptures.
Harold: “Do you always model in the nude”
Maude: “Glaucus [the artist] occasionally needs to be reminded to the contours of the female form”
Maude is 80 years old, economically poor, emotionally rich and obsessed with life. Harold is 18, economically rich, emotionally barren and obsessed with death.
This is a perfect match.
It is not much of a mystery that this film is all a metaphor and a philosophical preaching sermon. While Travolta & Kirstie Ally may need L. Ron Hubbard to inspire their lives…I just need this movie.
Video: How does it look?
This is NOT a gorgeous film. It does get an anamorphic widescreen presentation. And for fans that alone will be worth the price of admission.
But this was a low budget film of the early 70s and that does show.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Soundtrack is all Cat Steven music and this movie made me a fan.
But this is not a way to showcase your 5.1 system
Supplements: What are the extras?
This ought to be a crime. NONE NOOO Features. For a film that has this kind of cult following a few features seems a must. I am sure someone could dig up some hilarious Ruth Gordon out takes. And while getting commentary from Ruth Gordon or Cat Stevens would be tough, all other members [Director Hal Ashby, Bud Cort [aka Harold] etc.] should be readily available.
I seriously hope this is just an interim teaser release until they can create a proper special edition.
Summary
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Do you sing and dance?
Buy this movie and the answer to the above question will be known.
