Elwood P. Dowd ( James Stewart) is as decent a man as you’ll find anywhere. Good-natured and friendly, Elwood walks the streets of his hometown with a smile on his face and a friendly “Hello” ready for all who he passes. Although he spends much of his time in bars, Elwood seems to be a pillar of the community, except for one thing – his constant companion is a six-foot-plus invisible rabbit named Harvey. Elwood carries on conversations with Harvey, opens doors for him, and generally treats him like his best friend. But nobody else has ever seen Harvey, so Elwood is a source of humour in the community and shame for Elwood’s sister, Veta Louise Simmons (Josephine Hull is hilarious in the role) and her daughter, Myrtle Mae (Victoria Horne), who share the family home with Elwood – and Harvey.
The movie follows the hilarious goings-on when Mrs. Simmons decides to have Elwood committed to a home for the mentally ill. This is an ill-fated enterprise that starts with the medical staff at the sanatorium confusing the ‘committer’ for the ‘committee,’ and dragging Mrs. Simmons off for a bath while Elwood is politely ushered out of the facility – along with his buddy Harvey, of course. Once the mistake is discovered, there’s a chase – in pursuit of Elwood – by doctors, a nurse, the family lawyer and an orderly (who takes a shine to Myrtle Mae). And, of course, there’s a happy ending for everyone.
What makes Harvey great is the fact that it’s equally enjoyable as a piece of comedic fluff and as slyly intelligent social commentary aimed squarely at people who try to enforce conformity, judge those who are different, and define what’s sane behaviour and what isn’t. Mrs. Simmons doesn’t try to have Elwood committed out of concern for his well-being; she’s more worried about her social standing, and how Elwood’s goofiness is scaring off potential suitors for her daughter. Nor is it entirely clear that Elwood is the only one who believes in Harvey’s existence. It’s just that others – principally Mrs. Simmons – don’t talk about him as openly.
Elwood’s obsession with Harvey appears to be more than simpleminded fantasy. As Elwood informs the loony bin proprietor’s wife, Mrs. Chumley (Nana Bryant), Harvey isn’t just an imaginary rabbit. He’s a ‘pooka’ – a playful, and only sometimes visible, spirit. And indeed, even though we never see him, Harvey does appear to fit that bill.
Regardless of whether or not we ‘believe’ in Harvey, and regardless of whether or not we choose to watch the movie for its good-natured low-key humour or for its smart social commentary, this is a fine film. This production benefits from the fact that many members of the cast (including Stewart, Hull, Horne and Jesse White, the amorous orderly) also played the same roles in the highly successful Broadway or London stage versions. This undoubtedly contributes to the razor-sharp timing that director Henry Koster was able to elicit from this excellent cast.
