Harvey (1950)

Director: Henry Koster; Screenplay: Mary Chase & Oscar Brodney; Cinematographer: William Daniels

Cast: James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy Dow

    

Harvey is about how people tend to overlook kindness when it comes with bizarreness. The main character, Mr. Dowd was an incredible man who just happened to have a 6 foot tall bunny rabbit friend named Harvey. He was no danger to himself or to others, yet the whole movie revolved around people trying to get him to a mental hospital.

   

    Mr. Dowd was the most lovable character that is out there. He never said a mean word about anyone even though people could be very rude with him, he was kind-hearted and though over 40 years old, innocent. He was very child-like, maybe that’s why he was the only one who could see Harvey. That’s the point where the movie never really made it clear whether Harvey was imagined or actually there. I tend to go with the latter hence that there were many hints planted. Like that Harvey was a pooka (I love this word) and Dowd wasn’t the only one seeing him in the end. He comes a minor spoiler to support my theory. When in Dr. Sanderson’s office, Veta admitted to seeing a white rabbit herself sometimes. Was she going mental also or maybe she had her more open-minded moments which allowed her to see Harvey too.

    The  most unlikeable character was Myrtle. She was a mean ignorant girl and there were no moments what would prove otherwise. That leaves her one sided and quite unremarkable.  There was also a hint of love story in Harvey. Though we don’t see it revolve, we see it get planted by Dowd. Whether unknowingly or knowingly he saw things that others didn’t. If Mr. Dowd would have lived in the 21st century then he would be on the same level with Osho and Paolo Coehlo, though eccentric still a genius.

    Everybody should take a page out of Elwood Dowd’s book and apply it to their everyday life. Because if we don’t see something, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. We live in a world where realism is a religion and something you can’t touch or see is wrong and evil. Harvey gives a lesson what to me was unforgettable. Appreciate more the light and fun things in life, find your own Harvey that let’s you escape into a beautiful day. 

written by Benni

links: IMDb