Harvey is a 1950 comedy film starring James Stewart, as Elwood P Dowd, a wonderful yet naive man who can see a 6 foot 3 rabbit called Harvey. He lives with his sister (Josephine Hull) and niece (Victoria Horne), who do not appreciate the way Elwood introduces everyone to Harvey, and tries to have him committed to a mental health institution. Harvey appears at number 35 on the AFI’s 100 years 100 Laughs list.
Harvey was funny, yet I couldn’t help feeling sad about the way that everyone treated Elwood, which added to a bittersweet sort of feeling towards the film. I did enjoy it however, and would definitely recommend watching it. Josephine Hull received a well deserved Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of his sister, who simultaneously does and does not believe in Harvey. Jimmy Stewart received a nomination for his performance, but ultimately lost to Jose Ferrer for Cyrano de Bergerac. I really enjoyed A Philadelphia Story, the other movie that I have seen with Jimmy Stewart in it, and this one was also fantastic.
There is a reference to Harvey in The Sims 2, where if their social need drops too low then a rabbit that only that sim can see will come to increase their social. I recognised that reference almost immediately while watching the movie. Also the rabbit in Donnie Darko is likely a reference to Harvey.
Kneel Before Pop 