Harold and Maude’s influence is apparent even today
when film critics find its remnants in last year’s movie Mrs. Palfrey
at the
Claremont also. Film critic Scott Holleran
says as much in one of his reviews. The Director of Mrs. Palfrey at the
Claremont, for Holleran, subtly exploits inevitable Harold and Maude
comparisons. Any movie with a reference to Terence Rattigan, the British
playwright who wrote the stage play Separate Tables, adapted for the
screen with Burt Lancaster, and the lush, bittersweet The Yellow Rolls-Royce,
is likely to have romance, and Mrs. Palfrey comes equipped with a lifetime of
love. It is also a well known fact that Carpenter Square
Theatre opened its twenty-first season with Harold and Maude, the stage version
of the 1970s cult classic film by the same name from 03-25 Sept. 2005.
For
more than thirty five years now, Harold and Maude is reigning supreme in United States and London both.
THESIS
The main thesis of
such a popular comedy is depiction of two scenarios of human life. One
is an introvert, Harold, twenty year old, who has evolved as a dramatic recluse
as a result of receiving consistent neglect from his
mother. Secondly,
it is Maude, a septuagenarian who is an extrovert and freely living woman
having no hassles. Both are representing two extremes. The movie’s real concern
is that there is a time to live and time to die. All that
occurs is on the road to life anddeath.
These happenings and movement on this ‘life-and-
death-street’ are but
meditations’ on existence and final passing away.
As such, Harold
(Bud Cort) loves feigning suicide attempts. He does them in front of his mother,
Mrs. Chasen (Vivian Pickles). She is then infuriated instead of being
frightened by such repeated attempts. Harold pretends to drown, shoot, hang,
slit his wrists, chop off his hand and immolate himself. Nothing of this sort
affects his mother. Yes, his mother arranges computer dates for Harold which he
promptly scares away. Harold enjoys driving a hearse and frequents funerals of
people he doesn't know. He is also fond of spending time at junk yards.
Then there
emerges his match in Maude (Ruth Gordon). She is an expert at stealing cars and
so many other things. She is still full of life. Her friendship with Harold
starts at a funeral where she is having a solo picnic of her own. Harold learns
to love life, to embrace it and nurture it only from Maude.
CONCLUSIONThere is so
much of happening on the highway to life and death in this film that Harold –
representing death, and Maude - depicting life, have numerous ‘meditations’ to
share mutually. This ultimately brings them, first, to the altar of marriage
and, then, separation in the suicide of Maude. This is the communion of Death
in Life and Life in Death. Conclusion "Harold and Maude" proposes quite a few pathways to social challenges of our world today. For example, it removes a traditional classical taboo about marriage between a twenty year old boy and eighty year old woman. Not only this film but also its major characters are full of revolt from within (like Harold and Maude). Maybe because of them, this film is regarded as a black comedy. Otherwise, stereotypes and apparent symbolisms are also there. In an ultimate analysis, whether we love it or hate it, this film reigns supreme over all others.