--- title: "Harold and Maude: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/harold-and-maude/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/harold-and-maude" critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Harold and Maude (1971): what the critics said Critics' score 70 from 13 reviews: 9 positive, 2 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Harold and Maude, praising its mixture of black comedy, eccentric romance and optimism about life. The strongest notices find genuine tenderness in the relationship between Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon, whose chemistry makes the characters more than vehicles for a message about nonconformity. Hal Ashby’s handling of macabre humour and human connection draws repeated praise, while the Cat Stevens soundtrack is another point of enthusiasm. The spread is wide, however, and the same eccentricity strikes some critics as forced or overly cute. More qualified reviews question the central relationship’s depth and find Ashby’s loose style uneven. The two sharply negative notices both come from 1971: The New York Times finds the emphasis on death at odds with the film’s affirmation of life. Variety objects to the juvenile, overworked black humour, though it acknowledges some successful gags and supporting performances. ## Slant Magazine — Jordan Cronk Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 11 June 2012. The review celebrates the film as an indelible fable of love and death, highlighting its sincere exploration of human connection, the transcendent performances of Cort and Gordon, and the perfect Cat Stevens soundtrack. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/harold-and-maude/) ## Little White Lies — Zoe Kurland Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2021. The critic praises the film as the story of a Holocaust survivor and her philosophy of living lightly and in the present rather than clinging to loss. It singles out the brief reveal of Maude's concentration camp tattoo as a key symbolic moment that deepens the unconventional romance. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/in-praise-of/harold-and-maude-holocaust-survivor-story) ## The Guardian — Elizabeth Quinn Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2021. The critic praises the film's exuberant mix of black humor and optimism as a quintessential 1970s work by Hal Ashby. They single out its humanistic approach and the way it juxtaposes macabre elements with an undercurrent of redemption. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/dec/01/harold-and-maude-50-years-on-hal-ashbys-box-office-bomb-is-a-black-comedy-classic) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2008. The critic finds the film mostly terrific and the origin of modern indie quirk, praising the endearing chemistry between Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon as they transcend symbolic roles in a story of life-affirming eccentricity. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/harold-and-maude-1798213751) ## The Telegraph — Tim Robey Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 February 2026. The critic describes the film as an irresistibly odd cultural outlier and a cult hit, noting its loose, shaggy 1970s counter-culture style under Hal Ashby. They highlight the macabre opening and the unlikely romance between the leads. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/02/12/harold-and-maude-age-gap-romcom/) ## Time Out — PH Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 January 2015. The review calls the film a successful blend of whimsy, absurdity, tough sentimentality and black comedy. It highlights the central story of the death-obsessed teenager liberated by his friendship with the elderly funeral enthusiast as most effective when it maintains its insane fairytale tone. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/harold-and-maude) ## Los Angeles Times — Mark Chalon Smith Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 1993. The piece celebrates the film's cult appeal as a quirky antihero story promoting individualism and rebellion against hypocrisy, with Harold's strangeness turned virtuous. It praises the humor and sentiment in the central relationship but finds Cort and Gordon overly cute and Ashby's style slapdash, working best on first viewing. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-05-13-ol-34574-story.html) ## The New York Times — Vincent Canby Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 21 December 1971. The critic finds the film more preoccupied with death and simulated suicides than with life-affirming themes, despite its comic pretensions. He notes the aggressive, off-putting performances by Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon make the mismatched couple seem oddly suited, but criticizes the ending for betraying the movie's life-affirming claims. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/21/archives/screen-harold-and-maude-and-lifehal-ashbys-comedy-opens-at-coronet.html) ## Variety — A.D. Murphy Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 16 December 1971. The review calls the film as enjoyable as a burning orphanage, criticizing its sophomoric, overdone black humor and mocking tone aimed at younger audiences. While noting a few good gags and solid turns from supporting players like Vivian Pickles, it faults the macabre concept and overall execution as dubious and embarrassing. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1971/film/reviews/harold-and-maude-1200422491/) ## The Playlist — Rodrigo Perez Rating [A]. 6 May 2011. The piece positions the film as Ashby’s funniest and most influential work, a dark spin on The Graduate with broad impact on later directors like Wes Anderson. It singles out the heartfelt central relationship and iconic Cat Stevens soundtrack for praise. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/films-of-hal-ashby-a-retrospective-essentials-20110506/2/) ## Eye for Film — James Benefield Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 January 2010. The critic praises the film's singular, off-kilter voice and its central message to follow one's heart despite societal judgment. They highlight the unusual but empathetic bond between the leads and its lasting cult appeal. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/harold-and-maude-film-review-by-james-benefield) ## The Skinny — Michelle Devereaux Rating ★★★★. 14 July 2014. The critic recommends the film to Wes Anderson fans for its quirk and deadpan humor. They single out its unashamed wonder at the beauty of life amid absurdity and its humane blend of satire and intimate connection. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/dvd-reviews/harold-and-maude) ## Collider — Andre Dellamorte Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 14 August 2012. The film is a quirky cult favorite with a light touch from Ashby and a memorable Manic Pixie Dream Girl template in Maude, but the central relationship feels jokey and the spoiled protagonist limits its depth; it works as a vibe-driven oddity but is not a personal favorite compared to the director's other work. [Read the review](https://collider.com/harold-and-maude-criterion-blu-ray-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/harold-and-maude.md