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 | Death | Fake Suicide | Obsessed With Death

Awards:

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

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
Henry Dieckoff	...	Butler
Philip Schultz	...	Doctor
Sonia Sorrell	...	Head Nurse
Margot Jones	...	Student Nurse
Barry Higgins	...	Intern
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hal Ashby	...	Bearded Man Watching Model Train (uncredited)
Michael L. Davis	...	Policeman (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Jerry Randall	...	(uncredited)
Cat Stevens	...	Man in Front of Maude at Funeral (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Directed by
Hal Ashby

Writing credits
Colin Higgins		(written by)

Produced by
Colin Higgins	....	producer
Mildred Lewis	....	executive producer
Charles Mulvehill	....	producer (as Charles B. Mulvehill)

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo		(director of photography) (as John Alonzo)

Film Editing by
William A. Sawyer
Edward Warschilka

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Michael D. Haller		(as Michael Haller)

Costume Design by
William Ware Theiss		(as William Theiss)

Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist
Bob Stein	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Wesley J. McAfee	....	unit production manager (as Wes McAfee)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael J. Dmytryk	....	first assistant director (as Michael Dmytryk)
Robert Enrietto	....	second assistant director

Art Department
James Cane	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Richard Portman	....	re-recording
William Randall	....	sound
James Richard	....	sound editor (as James A. Richards)
Frank E. Warner	....	sound editor (as Frank Warner)

Special Effects by
A.D. Flowers	....	special effects

Stunts
Pamela Bebermeyer	....	stunt double (as Pam Bebermeyer)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt coordinator (as Joe Hooker)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt double (as Joe Hooker)
Jerry Randall	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Hart	....	gaffer
Joe R. Marquette Jr.	....	camera operator (as Joe Marquette Jr.)
Charles Record	....	head grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Andrea E. Weaver	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Andrea Weaver)

Editorial Department
Sam Gemette	....	editorial apprentice
Don Zimmerman	....	editorial apprentice

Music Department
Ken Johnson	....	music editor
Paul Samwell-Smith	....	music recording supervisor
Cat Stevens	....	composer: songs
Cat Stevens	....	performer: songs

Other crew
Pablo Ferro	....	titles
Steven J. Silver	....	production associate (as Steve Silver)
Jeff Wexler	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Mildred Lewis and Colin Higgins Productions
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Suevia Films - Cesáreo González (1974) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1997) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2009) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• A&M Records  courtesy of: Cat Stevens
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Island Records  courtesy of: Cat Stevens

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:

There is a deleted scene in which Maude paints smiles on the statues in the church. A still from this scene can be found on one of the original lobby cards, and it is described in detail in the book-adaptation.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Maude pulls the banjo out of a cabinet, you see the reflection of crew and lights.

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:

Referenced in Pirates of the Great Salt Lake (2006)

Soundtrack:

Tea for the Tillerman

Ashby The Great

Ashby was Ashby from the word go. Pristine without being precious, intelligently beautiful without being french, funny, funny, funny, bitter, provoking and sad. You can mix all of that and quite simply call it Ashby. What a delight! Elizabeth Bergner was suppose to play the part, marvelously written by Colin Higgins. Hal Ashby flew to London for a meeting with her, she didn't quite get it, she said aloud she couldn't work with a director who looked like Jesus Christ. Well sorry for her, but lucky for Ruth Gordon and lucky for us. As I saw the film after Rosemary's Baby I was kind of worried for Bud Cort for a little while. Ruth Gordon made her name as Dolly Levy in Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker" got an Oscar for Rosemary's Baby, wrote Adam's Rib with husband Garson Kanin. She was a woman for the ages and "Harold and Maude" is her present, her own tribute to an extraordinary life. I've shown the film to kids, 10, 12 years old and they fall in love with her. Bud Cort is the perfect foil for her designs. Cat Stevens and a scrumptious performance by Vivian Pickles, the unforgettable Isadora of Ken Russell's film of Duncan's life, wrap up this exquisite Hal Ashby masterpiece.