Have you been looking for sarcastic black comedy films for some time now? If so, then you can read this article to know more about a similar vintage movie, Harold and Maude, starring Ruth Gordon alongside Bud Cort. Plus, later in this article, I’ll also let you in on where was Harold and Maude filmed.
The American romantic comedy flick, Harold and Maude became super popular amongst fans who love watching witty films, with a serious dose of comedy. The director of the film, Hal Ashby took inspiration from Colin Higgins’ fictional story, written a couple of years prior to this film. Later, Ashby implored Colin to join the project as the sole screenwriter, to perfect the screenplay.
The story of Harold and Maude revolves around the character of Harold, a young and reckless brat, who enjoys doing thrilling activities on a daily basis. However, the plot thickens when the lead actor befriends an old and wise lady named Maude, who teaches him the true meaning of life.
The production budget of Harold and Maude was somewhere around $1.3 million. But, after the movie was released in the summer of 1971, this comedy flick grossed way over the shooting budget. Plus, the makers were elated after receiving a positive critical response from the fans and critics. Harold and Maude collected a number of prestigious nominations over the year and won 2 major awards in total.
Now, if you want to know where was Harold and Maude filmed, then all you need to do is, follow this piece till the end.
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Where Was Harold And Maude FIlmed? Let’s Know This Black Comedy Flick Closely!
As the production budget for Harold and Maude was quite low, the makers refrained from choosing exotic filming locations for this project. After the likes of Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort were selected to play the lead roles, the makers asked the crew to look for shooting locations.
According to the instructions given by the production heads, the filming crew began looking for ideal shooting sites on-location. Several places were then scouted by the team, in and around the state of California.
Then finally after the list of potential shooting sites was submitted, the creative heads of the production reviewed them and arranged a special meeting. The makers of Harold and Maude then eventually decided to shoot the majority of the sequences around the city of San Francisco. Later, the team decided to shoot the remaining scenes around various other parts of California.
The principal photography commenced in the last week of December 1970 and continued for more or less 3 months. According to the original shooting schedule, the filming was supposed to end by the final week of February 1971. However, due to a number of issues, the shooting schedule was extended.
But, other than that, the production members didn’t face any other challenges during the course of the shooting. Now, are you ready to know where was Harold and Maude filmed? Because we are about to discuss the shooting locations of this film, in detail.
San Francisco, California | USA
The opening sequence of the movie, where we see the character of Harold Chassen, working inside a garage, was actually filmed in the city of San Francisco. The production members arranged a medium-sized house, in one of the posh neighborhoods of this city.
The exterior sequences depicting the family home of the male lead were then filmed around the same property. Before the filming crew could shoot the interior sequences of the garage and Harold’s home, minor changes had to be made.Â
The production members turned around the overall interior decor of the property in no time. Plus, a vintage Chevy car was also brought in by the production members from Los Angeles, which was dubbed as Harold’s iconic car in the movie.
The production members filmed a number of pivotal outdoor sequences on the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Special shooting permission had to be acquired from the D.A.’s office, before filming on the bridge. The filming crew then moved to the shooting location in California and captured the remaining sequences.
Other Filming Locations, California | USA
After the majority of the sequences were filmed around the city of San Francisco, the production members traveled to various other cities in California.Â
The sequence where the character of Harold meets Maude for the first time was actually shot around Palo Alto. The production members filmed inside St. Thomas Aquinas Church, which is located at 751 Waverley St. Palo Alto. Additional outdoor sequences of the movie were also captured near San Carlos, San Bruno, and Mori Point.
The production team then moved to the city of Oakland and captured the emotional final sequence of the movie. Important to mention that, after the outdoor scenes were shot, the filming crew returned to San Francisco and used a well-equipped studio to capture the interior scenes.
Alrighty guys, so these were some of the noteworthy locations, which were used to film the exciting sequences of Harold and Maude in California. I’d suggest you note them down so that you can take a closer look at the mentioned places.
However, now I’d give you an overview of Harold and Maude. But, you can check out McLintock, Red River, and Last Stand at Saber in the meantime as well.
Plot Of Harold And Maude | What’s It About
The story of Harold and Maude revolves around the character of Harold, a young and reckless American teenager, who enjoys doing thrilling activities. At the beginning of the film, Harold appears to recklessly drive a special car, without caring much about his own safety.
But as the story progresses further, the lead actor runs into an old and wise lady, who changes his life for good. After Harold forms a special bond with the character of Maude, he begins to learn the true value of his and others’ lives. Watch Harold and Maude to witness the awe-spiring story of two starkly different humans, who evolved from each other.
Final Words
Alright friends, I hope now you finally know where was Harold and Maude filmed. If you’re interested in reading similar pieces then you can check out other amazing articles on Viebly. But, if you’d like us to cover any other title of your choice, then don’t forget to let us know in the comments section below.
