Harvey
Release Date: October 13, 1950
Director: Henry Koster
Stars: James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy Dow
Runtime: 104 min
Tagline: The Wonderful Pulitzer Prize Play… becomes one of the Great Motion Pictures of our Time!
It’s a great fantasy-comedy. It’s a classic, but as far as classics go, it isn’t that amazing.
Elwood P. Dowd is a pleasant mild-mannered man, who is the drunk around town (but ironically enough, he only ever takes a drink once or twice throughout the film). Elwood used to be so much more pleasant, until his mother died and he had entered an emotional phase, which involved him gaining an imaginary friend. The imaginary friend is very special, as he is a six foot-three (and a half, get the facts straight) bunny named Harvey.
It really is a pretty charming film, a good fantasy, and still has comedy that works to this day. Some of it definitely would have worked better in its day, which would be better if I viewed it a few decades ago. I really rather enjoyed it though, as I do like old cinema, but I’m not sure how much it will stick out in my memory – but it really was quite enjoyable at the time.
I don’t know if I’d watch it again, as it feels more like a one-time viewing.
Some of the plot got really ridiculous at times, but a lot of it was needed to add to the general silliness of the flick, I know I was smiling a lot during.
James Stewart is a real pleasure to watch. Some of the other actors aren’t that great (like practically the rest of the whole cast, with the exception of Josephine Hull). Peggy Dow, Charles Drake and Cecil Kellaway also appear in this film.
If you like old cinema, or if you like James Stewart, you should give this one a watch.
70/100
