Harold and Maude: The Movie That Screams Serenity
I had no qualms about my movie choice for this issue of Mosaic Minds. I wasn't sure why, but I knew I had to review the cult classic Harold and Maude, the 1971 movie directed by Hal Ashby. Every time I thought about other movies that touched on serenity, my brain would not be deterred and kept pushing Harold and Maude to the forefront. The movie deals with the two title characters: Harold, who is obsessed with staging pretend suicides in the hopes of getting his mother's attention, and Maude, a free spirit who is unconcerned with the pesky rules of society. They keep meeting at strangers' funerals and once Maude steals Harold's car and offers him a ride, their friendship (and romance) is inevitable.
Although Bud Cort (Harold) and Ruth Gordon (Maude) have both had prolific acting careers, I will always remember them from this movie. When I first saw Harold and Maude, I was about twelve. My mother was dating a guy who was younger than she was (oh, the irony!) and he insisted that we should see this. I will never forget the look of shocked horror on my mother's face as the story unfolded. I do not know if she was more disturbed by the movie itself or the fact that I found it completely hilarious. (Probably both factors caused her reaction.)
I can only think of one way to describe this movie without giving too much away: When I was little, I used to go to Six Flags (in Atlanta, Georgia) occasionally. Now, Six Flags had lots of roller coasters, but my favorite one was not big and tall and shiny. It wasn't even all that speedy in some spots. But the thing about this roller coaster was that it jerked this way and that. It went up a large hill. It slowed down a bit, but then jerked again, left and right until, the tracks led into a covered bridge. Suddenly submerged in darkness, the first-time riders had no idea there was a sudden drop at the end of that bridge that would plunge us downward into the earth, and through an underground tunnel, for a moment. All the small, jerky, shocking moments on this roller coaster plus the huge nosedive out of that covered bridge made this my favorite ride. Harold and Maude reminds me of that roller coaster. The movie never lets the viewer get too comfortable and then toward the end there's a sudden nosedive into darkness. But the message the movie contains is worth the discomfort. Not only do I feel like I need to be a better person after I watch this movie, I feel like being a better person is a completely attainable goal.
Saying that the humor in this movie is dark is like saying fire is hot. Harold and Maude is not for kids. (Did I mention I was very mature at twelve?) Even though Harold fakes his suicides, they are quite realistic. The themes of death and life run throughout the movie, making every character rich with innuendo. The supporting actors in this movie are much like caricatures; stereotypically one-dimensional and yet perfect in their depictions of the overbearing mother (Vivian Pickles), the lifetime military man (Charles Tyner), and the drama queen (Ellen Geer). The story concerns the liberation of Harold, whose domineering mother only pays attention to him on her own terms. He tries to get her to really see him by "committing suicide" over and over. Instead, she tries to marry him off to an ever-dwindling group of girls provided by a dating service. She also tries to get him drafted into the army. The ways in which her plans are foiled leave me trembling with laughter. A few words of advice: Do not assume anything with this movie, and be prepared for everything.
The messages in the film about avoiding attachments and appreciating life are really profound. That these ideas are presented within the realm of absurd and hilarious scenes only makes these themes stronger to me. When I watched it again to do my review, I realized that sometimes serenity comes from being able to live each day without regret. Maude teaches Harold to reach out and grab life by the throat, even if doing so gets him a little messy. And even though she is easily fifty years older than him, he falls in love with her. When he makes her a medallion that says, "HAROLD LOVES MAUDE," she tells Harold the same and then throws the medallion into the lake beside them. "So I'll always know where it is," she explains to Harold, who is dumbfounded that his romantic gift has been cast aside. It's true: Maude never has to worry about losing the gift and therefore she will never have to be sad over losing it. Small moments like this one make this film rich like cheesecake to me. After watching, I am always struck by the desire to really live my life to the fullest, not wasting one moment. (As soon as I finish watching the film again, that is!)
So, even though this movie always makes me cry, the tears are totally worth it. With this in mind, I just want to point out that I was able to purchase my copy of Harold and Maude on Amazon.com for less than thirteen dollars. This film is also available on Netflix. (I searched to see if it was in their library.) Time has not diminished the accessibility of this movie. And no matter what I describe here, I will not be able to capture the essence of this film in its perfection. From start to finish the film is art. No subtlety is meaningless. So please watch it for yourself and then watch it once again for good measure.
With all that said, I am going to move straight on to the awards:
Best First Line Ever: Harold, who has been silent through the first scene of the film, whispers, "I have a sore throat," when his mother demands to know why he is so quiet at dinner. This was after his failed attempt to hang himself.
Best Dr. Seuss Rhyme Moment: When Maude steals Harold's car, which is a hearse. Maude asks, "Your hearse?" Harold affirms, "Yearse!"
Most Magical Musical Moment: All of them. Cat Stevens, who is no longer Cat Stevens and no longer sings pop music, did the music for this film. If you are already familiar with songs like "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out" or "Trouble" but you haven't seen the movie, you will never be able to listen to them the same way again. The music blends perfectly with the quiet parts of this movie, buffing the themes of life and death to a perfect shine.
All the Geeks Laughed When: After scaring away a girl with whom his mother arranged a date, the moment when Harold turns slowly to the camera, arches his eyebrow in victory, and smiles big enough to reveal a dimple.
Scene Most Likely To Bring Sudden Tears: When, after an entire movie of Harold as a stoic character who does all the shocking, he is finally the target of the same kind of shock and screams out "WHAT?!?"
Moment Worth Full Price of Admission: The custom Jaguar-hearse, especially since Harold blow-torches the customizations himself.
Moment That Makes Me Smile Through My Tears: The banjo version of "If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out" at the end of the movie.