Harold & Maude

A detailed Summary of Harold & Maude

It is apparent from the beginning of the 1971 film Harold and Maude, that our main character Harold Chasen has a preoccupation with death and suicide. As it begins, Harold is shown walking through the study, lighting a candle and then hanging himself. When his mother walks in and is unmoved by her discovery, she asks him if he thinks it's funny, his slight smile indicates that yes, he think it's very funny. On the surface, Harold and Maude is a delightful black comedy, but if you delve deeper you will find a compelling story about life and death.

Harold is a very unhappy boy who attends funerals, drives a hearse and attempts to commit suicide in front of his emotionally distant mother, Mrs. Chasen. Even though the viewer is never shown Harold's childhood, it is obvious that he grew up in a sterile, unloving environment. His attempts to commit suicide are pleas and a need to receive love from his mother. He indulges her with various elaborate faked suicides including a hanging, slashed wrists and throat, gunshot to the head, even drowning in the pool as she swims right past him. Her reaction to every attempt is startlingly unemotional and flat and reminds the viewer why Harold so desperately wants the attention and love he

From the moment they meet, Maude proceeds to enlist Harold's help in saving the world a small piece at a time. Maude is not bound by society's rules, she does what she wants, when she wants and does not care what anyone thinks of her. One of their escapades includes saving a tree from the city smog that almost gets them arrested. While in a field of beautiful flowers, Maude asks Harold which flower he likes. He picks one that he says are all alike and Maude points out to him that every single one is a little different and that she believes much of the world's sorrow comes from people who are this, but allow themselves to be treated like that.

At the same time, Mrs. Chasen's conclusion from her son's attempt of faked suicides is that he lives a life without any responsibilities and decides that he either must marry or enlist in the military. She attempts to find him a suitable wife and enrolls him in a dating service. Much to his mother's dismay, Harold devises a plan to ruin each arranged date by performing a faked suicide in front of each girl causing them to flee in terror. After destroying any chance of finding a wife, his mother decides to send Harold to her brother Victor who is an overzealous military officer to enlist him in the army. Instead of refusing to go, with Maude's influence, he creatively deals with his Uncle Victor.

Rarely has a movie told the beauty of life and death in such a poignant manner. Harold and Maude continues to be an influential movie years later, because it's able to connect with its audience. It conveys a simple message, but an important one to its viewer. As Maude so eloquently says it, "A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they're not dead, really. They're just... backing away from life." Simply put, appreciate life, celebrate your differences and enj

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Approximate Word count = 1224
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Movies