Harvey

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Cast & Crew

James Stewart
Elwood P. Dowd

Josephine Hull
Veta Louise Simmons

Cecil Kellaway
Dr. Chumley

Peggy Dow
Miss Kelly

Charles Drake
Dr. Sanderson

Victoria Horne
Myrtle Mae Simmons

Jesse White
Wilson

William Lynn
Judge Gaffney

Wallace Ford
The Taxi Driver

Nana Bryant
Mrs. Hazel Chumley

Henry Koster
Director

Mary Chase
Writer

Oscar Brodney
Writer

Myles Connolly
Writer

John Beck
Producer

Frank Skinner
Original Music

William H. Daniels
Cinematographer

Ralph Dawson
Film Editor

Bernard Herzbrun
Art Direction

Nathan Juran
Art Direction

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Critic Reviews for Harvey

Audience Reviews for Harvey

• Dec 13, 2017

  "In this world, you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant." So says Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart), a character who combines the gentle temperament of the Dalai Lama with the martini intake of Frank Sinatra. He also seems a bit crazy, seeing as his pal is an invisible 6'3 1/2" rabbit named Harvey, and happily introduces him to everyone he meets. While he seems harmless, his sister (Josephine Hull) wants to commit him to a sanitarium, and in a comedy of errors, gets locked up herself. From there it's a series of screwball moments, with the hospital staff trying to track down Elwood, and him oblivious to it all. The film is a little bit of indictment of the mental health industry, with one doctor (Lyman Sanderson) jumping to harebrained conclusions and an orderly (Jesse White) aggressively putting his hands on people. He alludes to having had to take the corset off of Hull's character while stripping her, a fact that intrigues her daughter (Victoria Horne), in one creepy and awkward scene. Horne at 39 was far too old for the role (Jimmy Stewart, playing her uncle, was 42), and scenes with her and White are the low points of the film. If it seems like just another goofball comedy in the first half, stay with it and let Elwood Dowd's benevolence sink in. He engages everyone he meets in real conversation, cares about them, and almost always invites them over to his house for dinner or for drinks. He does that not out of politeness, but actually wants and expects them to show up. The character is quite endearing, and Stewart's performance is nuanced and brilliant. In this screwball comedy, there is a real message of the importance of simple kindness, and it's delivered in a subtle way.
  Antonius B Super Reviewer
• Oct 27, 2014

  A pleasant, whimsical, charming, warm-hearted comedy.
  Dannielle A Super Reviewer
• Oct 16, 2014

  This sweet movie is adorable like James Stewart's character, who charms us distributing business cards and being nice to everyone that he meets, while Josephine Hull deserved the Oscar she won for her hilarious, on-the-edge-of-hysteria performance.
  Carlos M Super Reviewer
• Aug 29, 2014

  It has some annoying nuances, as you would expect from a comedy of errors, but it's also very charming, enjoyable, and I loved that it didn't go where I dreaded it would. I like that it's not just saying one thing, and there's some things to think about. At the beginning, it makes you think "no, I don't want to have anything to do with this 'crazy' man" But as the film goes by, and we meet Elwood (and Harvey) through the eyes of multiple people with different opinions and also their similar stand on the situation "we need to 'cure' him." But at the same time, we agree, "he's a sweet, sweet man." One of my favorite things about Elwood's character is his personification of Harvey as an aid to other people's worries: "He's bigger than anything they carry" or something to that effect. Specificity aside, the quote is sensible and sentimentalist, one that I would say represents the heart of the film. Another aspect I love about this film is Josephine Hulls' performance; she's a sweet, dignified lady whose acting style fit the movie's mood perfectly and trailblazed the appeal for the rest of the characters. It's an interesting mix of fantasy and reality, and it did keep my attention throughout. Great movie, and it won my favor.
  Diego T Super Reviewer

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