Harold and Maude 1971

Richard McGuinness, Village Voice: The fact that [it] isn't very funny and, like its 80-year-old heroic, long outlives its necessary life, is less important than the fact that the characters frequently react gently or like credible human beings to the script's impossible notions. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: [Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon] both are so aggressive, so creepy and off-putting. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: Simpleminded, but it's fairly inoffensive, at least until Ashby lingers over the concentration-camp serial number tattooed on Gordon's arm. Some things are beyond the reach of whimsy. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The visual style makes everyone look fresh from the Wax Museum, and all the movie lacks is a lot of day-old gardenias and lilies and roses in the lobby, filling the place with a cloying sweet smell. Nothing more to report today. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: It is most successful when it keeps to the tone of an insane fairystory set up at the beginning of the movie. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Marked by a few good gags, but marred by a greater preponderance of sophomoric, overdone and mocking humor. Read more