1971
Directed by Hal Ashby
Filmmakers love to create unlikely couplings and friendships. While I am not a fan of the cheese factor that often comes with this, I have to say that this was rather enjoyable. Now it is nearly impossible to have any sexual chemistry between a couple that is approximately fifty-five years apart. But they got as close as they could with Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort and as this is a comedy, it is almost forgivable.
Harold is absolutely obsessed with death, mostly for the attention that the deceased get. Ruth, on the other hand, is around eighty-five years old and is grateful for every second. I would love to meet an elderly person like this, but I am not quite sure they exist. Anyway, they fall in love, kind of, to what seems like the entire Cat Stevens catalog. If there was ever an artist who is only good in moderation, it is Cat Stevens.
I did laugh quite a few times during this film, but I am struggling to understand what the point of it was. I assume it was to challenge our notions of conventional romance, but you would think then that they would try to make the love story a bit more convincing. Overall, an interesting movie but did not leave a very lasting impression on me.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
The film was originally going to contain a scene with Harold and Maude having sex, but the studio refused. Praise the lord.
It's been a long time since I saw this movie. I do remember laughing quite a bit and Eve Arden was great as Harold's mother.Ruth Gordon was wonderful and I liked the idea of such an unlikely love story. I would give this 5 stars. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen i started ticking films off, i made a pact with myself.. A film I'd seen before I started collecting would count.. but only if I coul recall a substantial amount and had some sort of 'impression' of it - ie liked it - or even bored.
ReplyDeleteHarold & Maude is a strong contender for 'longest time ago that I saw it' (is that a gramaticaly acceptable phrase?) film..sometime in the early 80's.
I remember it very fondly with a good mixture of sweetness (the good sort, not the Doris Day musical type) and dark humour.
Diana, I am glad you liked it. I just couldn't get over the plausibility factor. I can get that element in other genres, but not romantic comedies.
ReplyDeleteRay, it sounds like you liked it! Why has it been so long since you have seen it?
Thanks for asking Rachel .. Why? well, I guess I've been busy watching other films I guess..It has not 'strayed across my path' in the sort of way that makes you watch it, andI've not gone out of the way to rewaych..
ReplyDeleteI totally loved Harold and Maude. So dark and so funny and still full of insight.
ReplyDeleteThese two have what the other lacks and in that exchange the movie stops being silly and takes the characters seriously.
Ray, go watch it again!