What could be sweeter and wholesome than the story of a man who is best friends with a 6-foot-3 1/2-inch rabbit? henry coster movies harveybased on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Mary Chase., turns 75 this month, and for those 75 years, it has been fondly remembered by audiences as the story of a gentle and whimsical neighbor, anchored by Jimmy Stewart’s quietly endearing performance. But as with the other well-known December release in Stewart’s career, there’s more to do than that. harvey More than fans remember.
Stewart stars as Elwood P. Dowd, whose peaceful small-town life is enriched by the constant presence of Harvey, an invisible rabbit. His delusions seem harmless enough, but at certain moments, they aren’t even that delusional. But a group of supporting characters, led by the wonderfully daffy Josphine Hull as Elwood’s older sister Betta, who are themselves quite eccentric, have serious doubts about Elwood’s mental health and want to do something about it.
Despite facing misconceptions, Elwood makes his life better by savoring the experience of constant companionship and reaching out to those who are willing to accept it, wherever he goes.
As Elwood’s sister and neighbors ruefully recall, Elwood was once a big deal in the small town. “Elwood had it all: brains, personality, and friends,” says family friend Judge Gaffney (William H. Lynn). Now he has little to do and spends all day patrolling the town’s bars, accompanied by an invisible companion whom he cheerfully introduces to everyone.
Although we never see Elwood actually drunk, which would give a completely false impression, there’s no denying that he likes to drink. But more than that, he loves people. He shows a genuine interest in the lives of everyone he meets, be it a postman, a taxi driver, or Barba’s companions, patiently listens to their troubles, and always invites them out for drinks or dinner at his home.
Naturally, the people Elwood encounters tend to be surprised when he introduces the invisible giant rabbit. But if they stay too long without running away, something begins to cast a spell on them. You could also argue that it’s Harvey himself. This movie lets you escape that interpretation. But perhaps it was Elwood’s gentle charm and kindness that won them over. He’s like Mr. Rogers to adults, if Mr. Rogers liked to hang out in bars with an invisible big white rabbit.
“Doctor, I have been struggling with reality for 35 years, and I am happy to say that I have finally conquered it,” he explains to the doctors and nurses who are admitting him to the facility at the behest of his sister. Lines like this hint at something that took me a while to realize. It’s like a kind of knowledge that continues to shine through Elwood’s otherworldly demeanor. We see it again when Dr. Sanderson (Charles Drake) asks some questions to try to understand when, how, and why Elwood started seeing Harvey.
“Daud, what was your father’s name?”
Elwood looked down, looked away, and after a beat looked up at the doctor and said with great emphasis, “John. John Stuyvesant.” And he smiled kindly. The same thing happens again, and when the doctor presses Elwood to tell him the name of his childhood best friend, the facial expressions and movements are even more comically exaggerated.
Elwood knows what’s going on here. He may be living in his own reality most of the time, but at least in this case he knows what the doctor is trying to get out of him. Nothing can convince me otherwise. And it sheds some new light on this seemingly simple character and story.
Like his friend and sister, Elwood acknowledges his ordinary past in his own roundabout way. “Years ago,” he explained to another doctor (the words are punctuated by that inimitable Jimmy Stewart delivery), “my mother used to say to me, ‘In this world, Elwood, you’re just that.’ – She always called me Elwood – ‘In this world, Elwood, you’re so smart.’ , or it must be a lot of fun.” Well, I’ve been smart for years. You can quote me.” This also suggests that Elwood’s role is less of a deluded innocent and more of a man who has deliberately chosen a way of life that others find appealing but incomprehensible. One might even call him a holy fool.
Don’t get me wrong. Elwood isn’t playing a role. He really sees his white rabbit. Everything about his characterization and the movie itself makes that clear. But he chooses to accept this strange friendship, and with it a life that provokes a variety of reactions, including indulgence, confusion, and fear. Whether he’s being humored, yelled at, or dragged from room to room in a mental hospital, he handles it all with a friendly smile. Because I’m too happy to care.
Christiana Peterson Describe the holy fool As a “living person”[s] Quit the mental discipline of behaving in a way that invites ridicule. ” harvey This is not a so-called Christian story. The supernatural creature that takes the form of a giant rabbit, the Pooka, comes from Celtic mythology. Still, Elwood’s way of life definitely places him within that sacred tradition.
Despite the film’s positive reputation, harvey What’s actually happening isn’t that different from our world. It is a world of calculation and ruthlessness. The few characters other than Elwood who believe in the Pooka’s existence want to either get rid of it or use it for their own purposes. Elwood is content to just have fun and has no demands or demands. Despite facing misconceptions, Elwood makes his life better by savoring the experience of constant companionship and reaching out to those who are willing to accept it, wherever he goes. Years later, this still resonates as an example of divine contentment.
“Harvey won’t do anything for you,” Betta groaned as he tried to get his brother to let go of the rabbit for good. “He’s making fun of you. Elwood, don’t make fun of him!” But that’s exactly where she’s wrong. In a world where we often exclude and exploit those who are different from us, sometimes it’s best to be a fool.
Source: Christ and Pop Culture – christandpopculture.com
