Harvey is the
film that is often regarded as the one which gave James Stewart his finest
performance. I’m fairly new to discovering his talents but it is certainly the
finest I’ve seen so far. Harvey is an
incredibly sweet and funny film which I’m certain wouldn’t work today. The
central character’s innocence and kindness simply wouldn’t sit right in
twenty-first century cinema. As sweet as the film is though it is also notable
for having a less than favourable view of mental illness and in keeping with
Hollywood movies of the time, it depicts the fear and misunderstanding which
surrounded illness of the brain although it slightly rectifies its position
towards the end.
Elwood P. Dowd (James Stewart) is an overly polite and
gentle man who lives with his older sister (Josephine Hull) and niece (Victoria
Horne) in their mother’s old house. Despite his amiable personality, charm and
kindness, his family are deeply embarrassed by Elwood and try to get him out of
the house whenever they have company. The reason for their embarrassment is
Elwood’s friend Harvey. Harvey himself is as friendly and polite as Elwood but
he happens to be a six foot, three and a half inch invisible white rabbit whom
only Elwood can see. After embarrassing Veta (Hull) for the final time, she decides it’s
time to institutionalise Elwood.
