Harvey (1950)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Mary Chase (play)
Mary Chase (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 October 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

The Wonderful Pulitzer Prize Play... becomes one of the Great Motion Pictures of our Time!

Plot:

Elwood P. Dowd is a mild-mannered, pleasant man, who just happens (he says) to have an invisible friend resembling a 6-foot rabbit.

Plot Keywords:

Rabbit | Mental Institution | Judge | Telephone | Eccentric

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

James Stewart	...	Elwood P. Dowd
Josephine Hull	...	Veta Louise Simmons
Peggy Dow	...	Miss Kelly - Nurse
Charles Drake	...	Dr. Sanderson
Cecil Kellaway	...	Dr. Chumley
Victoria Horne	...	Myrtle Mae Simmons
Jesse White	...	Wilson - sanitarium orderly
William H. Lynn	...	Judge Gaffney (as William Lynn)
Wallace Ford	...	Cabbie Lofgren
Nana Bryant	...	Mrs. Hazel Chumley
Grayce Mills	...	Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet (as Grace Mills)
Clem Bevans	...	Herman - Sanitarium gatekeeper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gino Corrado	...	Eccentric Man (scenes deleted)
Jack Curtis	...	(scenes deleted)
Ida Moore	...	Mrs. McGiff (scenes deleted)
Billy Wayne	...	Man in Car (scenes deleted)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:G (Ontario) | Australia:G | South Korea:All (2003) | Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved (certificate #14694) | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Though James Stewart's character, Elwood P. Dowd, may certainly be referred to as an alcoholic, only at one time in the entire picture is he seen taking a drink.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At the end of the movie when Harvey is supposed to be in the porch swing, you can see that someone is pulling a string on the arm of the swing to make the swing change its motion.

Quotes:

Elwood P. Dowd: I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Farscape: Won't Get Fooled Again (#2.15)" (2000)

"Oh, so pleasant."

"Years ago, my mother used to say to me, she'd say: 'In this world, Elwood,' she always used to call me Elwood. 'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh, so smart or oh, so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. And you can quote me." - Elwood P. Dowd (James Stewart)

And, though you suspect James Stewart was never anything less than thoroughly pleasant, that quote from this completely bewitching movie, sums up perfectly the career of James Stewart and this movie in particular. It is one of those rare, rare movies that, when one has watched it, makes you want to try harder to be a nicer, better person. I recommend 'pleasant,' also. And I recommend this movie.