Harvey

This one is a couple of days behind because I had some technical problems logging on yesterday. 

Starring: Jimmy Stewart

Directed by: Henry Koster

Rating: Liked It

Harvey is about Elwood P. Dowd and his good friend Harvey.  Elwood is a very pleasant man that always makes the best of everything.  Harvey is a pooka appearing to Elwood – and only Elwood? – as a six foot three and one quarter inch tall white rabbit. 

Everyone in town that knows Elwood also knows Harvey, and the bartender at Charlie’s even serves them two martinis.  Elwood lives with his sister and niece who try to check him into a mental hospital because he is ruining their social lives introducing everyone to Harvey.  I’m sure the fact that he invites every Tom, Dick and Harry to dinner doesn’t help much either.  Dowd’s sunny disposition coupled with his familiarity to the towns people seem to keep them from thinking him dangerous. 

The movie is funny for its time.  I didn’t really laugh out loud, but I did find the humor quite a bit more clever than I do today’s crude jokes – not that I don’t find them funny as well, I do.  Some of the jokes – Elwood’s sister’s hysterical rambling and her whispered phone conversation with a friend – have been lost in time and technological advancement. 

This is the first Jimmy Stewart film I’ve ever seen, but I assure you, it certainly won’t be the last.  Before you think it, no, I haven’t ever seen “It’s a Wonderful Life”…so sue me.  I just haven’t gotten around to it.  He is perfect for the part.  He walks the walk and talks the talk of the overly pleasant Dowd.  He’s friendly with everyone he meets, and I believe every minute of it.  He tells us at one point: “Years ago, my mother used to say to me, she’d say: ‘in this world, Elwood, you must be’ – she always called me Elwood – ‘in this world Elwood, you must be oh, so smart, or oh, so pleasant’.  Well, for years I was smart.  I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.”  Side note: this is one of my new favorite quotes. 

Beyond being a solid film, it also makes a solid statement about the field of psychology and mental health, specifically about medicating patients as a form of treatment.  I found this statement to be way ahead of its time.  Today with so many people (you probably know a couple personally whether you are aware of it or not) on antidepressants and medicine for bipolar disorder and ADD, this movie could be remade and an ever stronger statement made. 

One character in the film, a cab driver even comes out and tells us his story about how different people are between their ride up to the institution and their ride back.  He says that after people who were perfectly pleasant and nice and conversational get their injections they become “perfectly normal” human beings, and we know “what stinkers they are”.   I think that says a lot about the theme right there. 

Overall, the acting was good and the jokes still held up.  The theme is really great.  I’m really glad I finally watched Stewart in action.  To see him give his short monologues here and there and believe every line he delivers was a great experience.  I highly recommend this film.  It’s currently available on your Netflix Instant Play.