I haven’t been myself lately. I have been a little heartsick. I have been a little depressed. I have been working too many hours and worrying too much.
It occurred to me that I am rather simple minded. To cure my depression I have been doing simple things, like watching a classic film ( Harvey) and listening to Carly Simon. It seemed to work for me.
Elwood P. Dowd ( Jimmy Stewart) is a wonderful, good-natured guy. Elwood has a best friend named Harvey, a six-foot invisible rabbit. But nobody else has ever seen Harvey. Elwood’s sister, Veta Simmons (Josephine Hull is hilarious in the role) and her daughter, decide to have Elwood committed. The result is that it becomes difficult to determine who is really sane.
A comedy becomes a social commentary. Conformity, or the lack of it, may be the real point here. Elwood’s attachment to Harvey appears to be more than simpleminded fantasy.
Harvey isn’t just an imaginary rabbit. He’s a ‘pooka’ – a playful, and loving one. Even though we never see him, Harvey does appear to be a spirit of goodwill and friendship. Perhaps, a spirit that did not exist in 1950, when the film was made.
Maybe “Harvey” is the kinda movie that will be most enjoyed by people that want to believe in invisible six foot rabbits….people that refuse to deny the pooka spirit. I learned a lot about life from this movie, but then I am probably someone who believes that Harvey was real, after all.
ELWOOD’S WISDOM
ON REALITY: Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it.
ON BEING HAPPY: I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whoever I'm with.
ON SMART VS PLEASANT: Years ago my mother used to say to me, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. And you may quote me.
ON BEING BORED: Wouldn't that get a little monotonous, just Akron, cold beer and 'poor, poor thing' for two weeks?
ON MEETING HARVEY: I'd just helped Ed Hickey into a taxi. Ed had been mixing his drinks, and I felt he needed conveying. I started to walk down the street when I heard a voice saying: 'Good evening, Mr. Dowd'. I turned, and there was this big white rabbit leaning against a lamp-post. Well, I thought nothing of that! Because when you've lived in a town as long as I've lived in this one, you get used to the fact that everybody knows your name
ON MIRACLES: Elwood: You see, science has overcome time and space. Well, Harvey has overcome not only time and space, but any objections.
Dr Chumley: Fly specks, fly specks! I've been spending my life among fly specks while miracles have been leaning on lampposts at 18th and Fairfax!
ON CONSPIRACIES: Dr Chumley: This sister of yours is at the bottom of a conspiracy against you. She's trying to persuade me to lock you up. Today, she had commitment papers drawn up. She has your power of attorney and the key to your safety box, and she brought you here!
Elwood: She did all that in one afternoon. That Veta certainly is a whirlwind, isn't she?
THE TAXI DRIVER SUMS IT UP : I've been driving this route for 15 years. I've brought them out here to get that stuff, and I've drove them home after they had it. It changes them... On they way out here, they sit back and enjoy the ride. They talk to me, some times we stop and watch the sunset, and look at the birds fly. And sometimes we stop and watch the bird when there ain't no birds. And look at the sunset when its raining. We have a swell time. And I always get a big tip. But afterwards, uh oh, they crab, crab, crab. They yell at me. Watch the lights. Watch the brakes, Watch the intersection. They scream at me to hurry. They got no faith in me, or my buggy. Yet, it's the same cab, the same driver. and we're going back over the very same road. It's no fun. And no tips... After this he'll be a perfectly normal human being. And you know what stinkers they are!
If things get worse I reserve the right to pull out the big guns…… ET at bedtime with popcorn and Arizona Watermelon Cocktail.
