I am not really sure what this film was about. At
first, it seemed like a light-hearted comedy about a wacky uncle that has an
imaginary friend. However, the entire film turned wacky by the end. At times, I
feel like Elwood used his “friend” Harvey in order help others deal with their
life or their feelings. Elwood gives Dr. Chumley an excuse to talk about his
life and his feelings, what he would have done differently if he could. Elwood
states it himself: “They tell us about the big terrible things they’ve done and
the big wonderful things they’ll do. Their hopes, and their regrets, and their
loves, and their hates. All very large, because nobody ever brings anything
small into a bar. And then I introduce them to Harvey… and he’s bigger and
grander than anything they offer me”. Perhaps Harvey is a way for Elwood to
relate to and interact with other people. Harvey is a psychological tool. He
makes people confront their problems by creating something bigger than they can
handle, a person/creature who does not exist.
Harvey is described as being a pooka. In Irish
mythology, a pooka is a mischievous creature that can shape shift, but chooses
to be seen as a large black horse most of the time. A large black horse is extremely
ominous, but a large white bunny is not as threatening. By describing Harvey as
a large bunny, Elwood creates an almost comical image that speaks to the innocence
of childhood. I doubt that Elwood is trying to hurt others by creating this
persona of Harvey. I am not completely sure what Harvey meant to Elwood. He
could have been a way that Elwood dealt with his emotions, and then a way in
which Elwood could reach out and interact with other people. Elwood does not
seem to have any friends, apart from Harvey. He is pleasant to everyone he
meets, even inviting complete strangers to his house. He may have a sort of disinhibited
reactive attachment disorder, in which he seeks attention from everyone,
including strangers, but he does not form strong relationships with his family
members.
The main character that I just cannot stand is
Myrtle Mae. She cares too much about herself than the happiness of her uncle or
her mother. When her mother gets home and describes what happened to her in the
hospital, Myrtle is comforting. After all, it sounds to the audience like Mrs. Simmons
was practically raped, if not sexually molested. We as the viewers know that’s not
what happened, but to Myrtle, it could have been rape. And when the man who assaulted her mother
comes calling, Myrtle is not afraid or even wary. She practically throws herself
at him in order to get his attention. Myrtle could care less about what is
right for her family, and cares instead about her personal love life. She
barely knows Mr. Wilson, but she’s ready to go away with him and marry him. She
needs to be loyal to her family and her uncle, who have been supporting her
throughout her entire life.
I agree that Elwood uses Harvey's existence to help people. He meets strangers and listens to their stories and introduces them to something larger than life.
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