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By
NICK ZEGARAC
"Harvey" is the tale of
elegant congenial gentleman, Elwood P. Dowd (James
Stewart) whose best friend just happens to be a
six foot, 3 inch white rabbit named Harvey.
Naturally, Elwood's family thinks he's a few
carrots shy of a salad. After thoroughly, but
unintentionally humiliating his two spinster
aunts, Veta (Josephine Hull) and Myrtle (Victoria
Horne) at a social gathering, the two plot to
secretly have Elwood committed to a sanitarium for
psychiatric evaluation. However, upon visiting the
sanitarium with Veta, Elwood meets Dr. Sanderson
(Charles Drake) and the administering nurse, Miss
Kelly (Peggy Dow) who mistake Veta for their
patient and promptly usher her off to a padded
cell, leaving Elwood free to roam the grounds,
then plot as to how he can create the ideal
environment for Miss Kelly and Dr. Sanderson to
fall in love. Eventually the oversight is
corrected and Elwood is ushered into the
sanitarium for treatment. However, a reprieve
comes when Dr. Chumley (Cecil Kellaway) realizes
that Elwood is not crazy. You see, Harvey really
does exist. He's an invisible spirit guide of
sorts, presiding over those who need his services
the most.
This film is a delightful blend of comedy and
drama and blessed with an inexplicable magic that
makes the entire premise seem entirely plausible.
The transfer is stunning! The black and white DVD
exhibits ideal picture quality. Blacks are black.
The gray scale is superbly balanced. There's
really nothing more to say about the transfer,
other than it is simply one of the best you are
likely to encounter of a vintage classic on the
digital format. The audio is mono but nicely
balanced. Extras include an introduction by James
Stewart that is a bit on the long side but too
short to be considered a documentary. You also get
the film's theatrical trailer. |
