Harold and Maude

Harold and Maude is a terrific movie, probably one of the best of the semester so far.  I didn’t really find it too funny, besides the cop scene, but rather serious and tragic. I did provide me with much to think about though.

One thing I saw in this movie was a kind of forbidden love. In Western, and especially American culture, it is frowned upon to be in love with or marry someone who is very old, which we saw by the reactions of the priest, psychiatrist, uncle and mother. I connected this taboo with the rather outdated view on homosexuality, which has been all over the news lately. My thought was “love is love” as along as you love someone who cares if they are old, young, male, or female?

Next I saw a similarity to the Romeo and Juliet story, which was alluded to in the movie. One of the couple, Maude in this case, kills themself and their lover also decides to die. Harold did not physically die, but left his old self/personality in that wrecked car on the beach. We then see him playing the banjo as he strolls away, reborn.

I liked the idea that Maude presented; the sorrow in the world comes from unique individuals who allow them to be treated like just another person in the crowd. I would have to agree. Western culture has a kind of guideline for how one is to act. Most people follow this “guideline” and don’t really express themselves, if this is observed in life it causes sorrow. And once the people who strictly follow this “guideline” begin to die, they realize that they haven’t truly lived, causing even more sorrow.

I couldn’t help but think about the Boy who Cried Wolf during the suicide scenes. If his rough estimate was 15 suicides and his mother was used to these marvelous bits of acting, what would happen if he actually died, killed himself, or was murdered? His mother would just blow it off because she’d probably think it was just another one of his acts.

Another thought, was it just me or did Harold become less pale as the movie went on?

I think the cop scene was funny because it is something I think that we’d all like to do, but we don’t because we’re afraid of the consequences. Also the reaction of the cop is pretty good, just dumbfounded at Maude’s actions, and how she can be so nonchalant about what she has done.

I feel that Maude truly follows the philosophies of Carpe Diem and/or YOLO (as much as I hate that acronym). One needs to seize the day because you only live once, Maude does that and she dies happy rather than regretful.

I am really glad that this movie was on the list of this semester it is quickly becoming one of my favorite movies, the more and more I think about it. This comedy definitely leaves us with much to think about and much to talk about on Monday.