Monday 28 November 2016

Harvey (1950 Henry Koster)

An extremely relaxed and whimsically urbane Jimmy Stewart (evidenced in opening where he receives a registered letter and blithely tears it up, unopened) is a huge social embarrassment to his aunt Josephine Hull (Arsenic and Old Lace) and niece Victoria Home through imagining of a companion, an ancient spirit 'Pooka' in the form of an invisible 6'3" rabbit. So they try to have him committed, with disastrous results for the aunt. Involved  are doctors Cecil Kellaway and Charles Drake, nurse Peggy Dow, orderly Jesse White and judge William H Lynn.

Mary Chase adapted her own Pulitzer Prize winning play with Oscar Brodney. You'd think even laid back Stewart would have eventually lost his temper with bully White and socked him in the hooter. Bill Daniels shot it for Universal.

I can't remember the last time we saw it, but it's politely enjoyable.
Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called 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. You may quote me.

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