Harold and Maude (1971)

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 | Junkyard | Fake Suicide

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)
Marjorie Eaton	...	Madame Arouet (uncredited)
William Lucking	...	Policeman (uncredited)
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		(film editor)
Edward Warschilka		(film editor)

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster		(casting by)

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	....	make up
Rebecca White	....	hairdresser (uncredited)

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
Eugene Booth	....	props (uncredited)
Steve Ferry	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard Portman	....	re-recording
William M. Randall Jr.	....	sound (as William Randall)
James Richard	....	sound editor (as James A. Richards)
Frank E. Warner	....	sound editor (as Frank Warner)
Charles Randall	....	boom man (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A.D. Flowers	....	special effects
Paul J. Lombardi	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Pamela Bebermeyer	....	stunt double (as Pam Bebermeyer)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt co-ordinator (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
Jack Geraghty	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Randy Glass	....	best boy (uncredited)
King Nicholson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Elias Safar	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Larry Whitehead	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ann Brebner	....	casting: S.F. (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Andrea E. Weaver	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Andrea Weaver)
Rosa Lazar	....	costume fitter (uncredited)
Kirk Templeman	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Sam Gemette	....	editorial apprentice
Don Zimmerman	....	editorial apprentice
Jack Davies	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

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

Transportation Department
Charles Bricker	....	driver (uncredited)
James D. Brubaker	....	driver (uncredited)
Gene Clinesmith	....	driver captain (uncredited)
Dale Henry	....	driver (uncredited)
Allen Pettigrew	....	driver (uncredited)
Craig Pinkard	....	driver (uncredited)
Dalibos Raos	....	driver (uncredited)
Ray Tostado	....	driver (uncredited)
Gerald Vers	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Pablo Ferro	....	titles by
Steven J. Silver	....	production associate (as Steve Silver)
Jeff Wexler	....	production assistant
R. Alberts	....	craft service (uncredited)
Julie Dressler	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Jan Haag	....	intern (uncredited)
Boone Lodge	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Susan Madigan	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Arnold H. Orgolini	....	auditor (uncredited)
Julie Pitkanen	....	script continuity (uncredited)
Bill Shur	....	projectionist (uncredited)
Barbara Ulrich	....	secretary to director (uncredited)
Arthur Wilde	....	publicist (uncredited)
Sheila Woodland	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mildred Lewis and Colin Higgins Productions (as A Mildred Lewis and Colin Higgins Production)
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical) (A Gulf + Western Company)
• Suevia Films - Cesáreo González (1974) (Spain) (theatrical)
• FifiGE/AG Kino (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (????) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1979) (UK) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Paramount Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2009) (USA) (TV)
• Cinema International Corporation (C.I.C.) (1972) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Japan Community Cinema Center (2010) (Japan) (theatrical) (in association with)
• Japan Sky Way (2010) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cine Plus Home Entertainment (????) (Germany) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)

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

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 (2005) | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | Germany:12 (DVD 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 (f) (re-rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Berkeley, California, USA

Company:

Mildred Lewis and Colin Higgins Productions

Trivia:

In all shots of Ruth Gordon (Maude) driving the hearse it is being towed because she never learned how to drive a car.

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:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: Mother Tucker (#5.2)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Where Do the Children Play?

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.