Harold & Maude
It is apparent from the beginning of the 1971 film Harold and Maude, that our main character Harold Chasen has a preoccupation with death and suicide. As it begins, Harold is shown walking through the study, lighting a candle and then hanging himself. When his mother walks in and is unmoved by her discovery, she asks him if he thinks it's funny, his slight smile indicates that yes, he think it's very funny. On the surface, Harold and Maude is a delightful black comedy, but if you delve deeper you will find a compelling story about life and death. Harold is a very unhappy boy who attends funerals, drives a hearse and attempts to commit suicide in front of his emotionally distant mother, Mrs. Chasen. Even though the viewer is never shown Harold's childhood, it is obvious that he grew up in a sterile, unloving environment. His attempts to commit suicide are pleas and a need to receive love from his mother. He indulges her with various elaborate faked suicides including a hanging, slashed wrists and throat, gunshot to the head, even drowning in the pool as she swims right past him. Her reaction to every attempt is startlingly unemotional and flat and reminds the viewer why Harold so desperately wants the attention and love he
It then cuts to Harold, on top of the cliff, with his banjo playing the theme song of the movie and dancing. Although Harold is mostly silent during these meetings and uncooperative, At one point, the psychologist asks him how many times he has attempted suicide and if they were for the benefit of his mother, Harold responds, "No, I would not say benefit. " Beyond his suicide attempts, death is a prominent theme in the film. When Harold proposes to her, she tells him that it will all be over soon. " Maude proceeds to read it, says she loves it and then throws it in the water claiming that she will always know where it is. " Towards the end of the movie, Harold gives Maude a gift that is inscribed with, "Harold loves Maude. Since Harold is sent against his will and under duress, he does not have the mindset of someone who wants to work through his problems. In the film's closing scenes, we witness Harold driving his converted hearse Jaguar towards a cliff and then it is driven off the cliff and crashes on the rocks below. " After Maude dies, Harold has to decide if he will follow her in death or continue the celebration of life that she has taught him. However, the subsequent sessions with the psychologist are uneventful. As they are sitting in a field, Harold declares that he is very happy and that he would like to do a somersault, but he feels he would be embarrassed by doing so.
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Acceptance Essays
