What Do You Have In Mind?

This film could have been retitled The Importance of Being Pleasant. It brings a broad statement about human nature and how many perceive the actions of others in a distrustful light. There is a difference between seeing the actions of someone as dangerous or untrustworthy or accepting someone at face value. The end message being that it is important to have faith in others, in them as human beings, their jobs, and social interactions.

A general statement about trying to keep up appearances around the quiet squeaking steps of the cook (a stand-in for the rest of the world, just outside of the door), Elwood's aunt and cousin are two sides of a coin, one trying to keep her household in some order and interested in finding happiness with high-society, the other seething with desire, enough to bring disorder, to break out into society and find a partner.

While Elwood is presented in a generally positive light, there is an apparent acceptance of how Elwood can make people feel uncomfortable when attempting to place flower on his jacket, he gives it to Nurse Kelly instead, saying, "I seem to have misplaced my buttonhole." Being buttonholed can mean to keep someone in conversation by talking or physically holding their clothing and talking and rather invasive act. 

At the end, Harvey may have spent weeks with Dr. Chumley, but decided he didn't want to be part of his static and perhaps boring fantasy. Formula 977 is Dr. Chumley's own formula, something that turns people "...into human beings..." or someone who has "...got no faith..." in other people as the cabbie says near the end of the film.

Early in the film, Dr. Chumley mentions "his" formula 977 as a cure. Something that turns people "...into human beings..." or someone who has "...got no faith..." in other people as the taxi driver says near the end of the film; it is likely that Chumley wouldn't be a good match for Harvey and hopefully, changed Chumley enough to keep him from prescribing it in the future. 

I initially thought the aunt's caving in at the last second was a bit of deus ex machina, but after re-watching, I think her action was foreshadowed early in the film when she said, "I always thought that you were, showed in your face."  Foreshadowing her reversal when she believes that Elwood is about to be changed from a person with a face that everyone finds friendly.

Elwood's regular response, "What did you have in mind?" seemed to illustrate his openness to something interesting coming from other people and that he was waiting to see what it was.