Harold and Maude is a 1971 American
romantic dark comedy directed by
Hal Ashby and released by
Paramount Pictures. It incorporates elements of dark humor and
existentialist drama, with a plot that revolves around the exploits of a young man named Harold (played by
Bud Cort) intrigued with death. Harold drifts away from the life that his detached mother (
Vivian Pickles) prescribes for him, and slowly develops quite a strong and close
friendship and eventually a
romantic relationship with a 79-year-old woman named Maude (
Ruth Gordon) who teaches Harold about living life to its fullest and that life is the most precious gift of all.