Thursday, August 21, 2008

My Favorite Movies -- Harold and Maude (1971)


Many shrug off Harold as Maude as an inferior knock-off of The Graduate. In many ways I enjoy it more than The Graduate. Sure it has a romance between a younger man and older woman, sure it has a folky soundtrack (Cat Stevens), sure it has social satire... but the characters! In many ways Harold and Maude is a great symbol of the transition between the peace and love 60's and the more cynical, self-centered 70's. You have the incredibly, hilariously morose Harold with his life full of fake suicides and absent rich parents.... and you have the vivacious, life-affirming senior citizen Maude. I so love both characters. If you don't fall in love with Maude by the end of this movie... you have no heart. So many many many great scenes.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYxOWPzZXBM&feature=related

A. Harold commits various suicides to ward off the blind dates set-up by his mother.

B. Harold meets Maude at the cemetary for the first time.

C. Maude saves a tree.

D. Harold converts his jaguar.

E. Maude throws Harolds engagement ring into the bay.

F. The Ending. (spoilers) http://youtube.com/watch?v=TXWr-lBL67k

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