Harold & Maude

My all time favorite movie is "Harold & Maude." 

There really isn't a movie out there that is quite like it.

When I first saw the movie, I went into it blindly, not knowing anything about it.  I had heard of it, picked up a cheap DVD copy, watched it and had a feeling of "Huh?"

A few years pass by, I'm older, been through a bit more in life, I rewatched it and it clicked.  I could relate and understand it more than before.  

I also developed a love of the soundtrack-Cat Steven's songs weave the story together so well and leave as much of an impact as the story itself.  "If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out," "Trouble," "On The Road To Find Out," "Where Do The Children Play?"...just a few of the classics heard throughout the film.

My now husband gave me the Criterion blu-ray of the movie as a gift shortly after we had first met and it became a regular watch.  Each time I put it on I see something new or pick up on a line I may have missed before.  

In 2021, the soundtrack (which was hard to find) was released on vinyl as part of Record Store Day and then in 2022, a new expanded edition of the vinyl soundtrack was released with dialogue from the film and a commemorative book to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the movie.  When we lived in Chicago, The Music Box Theater showed it in their garden as part of their summer movie series.  

Earlier this year, I was home alone watching the movie and the message hit me harder. As I'm approaching 40, it gave me more of an appreciation of living life to the fullest and being unafraid. 

For those who haven't seen it, Maude is full of life and doesn't let anything slow her down or stop her.  She embraces spontaneity, living in the moment and marches to her own beat.  She's unapologetic in her zest for life and it makes me want to be more like her.  Her lines in the movie are full of wisdom and I think about them quite a bit...almost on a daily basis.  

I've been so inspired by the movie that I ended up turning one of the bathrooms in our house into a "Harold & Maude" themed room.  There are quotes from the movie, photos, even little statuettes.  

It's a daily reminder to myself as I look around to be in the moment, live life unafraid and keep moving forward.  

NEWS! November 3, 2026 Criterion is releasing "Harold & Maude" on 4k!