Film 73: "Harvey"

Despite having the busiest week of the year upon me, I found time to watch a film. And a thumping good one at that!

Synoahpsis:

Jimmy Stewart played Dowd, Elwood P. I'm sure I've got his card here somewhere. Elwood P. Dowd was de - wait for it - lightful. Delightful. An absolutely pleasant sort of man, Dowd had only one seeming character flaw, much to the dismay of his would-otherwise-be socialite sister Josephine; he hangs out in bars too much. Other than that, he's a lovely, charming, 6ft-tall-invisible-white-rabbit-friend-having gentleman.

After failing to get Elwood (played by Jimmy Stewart) out of the house so that she could throw a party without frightening her well-to-do, yet highly insensitive to those with mental disabilities friends, Josephine attempts to have Elwood committed (sectioned?) at the local sanitarium. But Elwood and Harvey (the giant invisible rabbit in question) casually evade capture from the folks in white coats. Funny story, true story... the doctor actually commits Josephine because he thinks she's psychotically defending herself by attack Elwood's character. Anyway, a lovely film all around.

The best bit

This movie was all about the acting, and it was really Jimmy Stewart at his finest. The best bit for me was when I had the biggest laugh. A psychiatrist was asking about when Elwood first met Harvey. He said "I heard a voice behind me say 'Good evening Mr. Dowd.' I turned around and there he was [a 6' 3/4'' tall, white rabbit] leaning against a lamp post. Now, when you live in a small town as long as I have you don't get the least bit surprised when a stranger knows your name, so I walked right up to him and said hi." Amazing.

Marks out of 10

This is in black and white, stars Jimmy Stewart and has every other quality of an all-time classic. I loved it. Even though, like with Watership Down, this rabbity film didn't have anything monumental happen in it, I loved the characters, the vibe of the town, the varied reactions to apparent insanity and the charming personality of Elwood P. Dowd. I'd love to go around his house for dinner sometime. He was the very epitome of Christian hospitality in the middle of a heat-warming story. 8.2