Parents' Guide to

Harvey

By Nancy Davis Kho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Jimmy Stewart + a 6' rabbit = a family delight.

Movie NR 1950 105 minutes
Harvey Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 4 parent reviews

grumblekitty
grumblekitty Parent of 7-year-old
November 4, 2011
age 8+

Fine, just perhaps over young-uns' heads.

I think it's fine for 8 and up, as the review says, but I agree with the other poster that it's a little bit over the heads of the younger audience members. My nearly-8 year old missed nearly all the humor either because it was too subtle or he hadn't had the life experience yet to get the joke. *shrug* This isn't a problem, it's just that it would be more enjoyable for someone a tad older. I remember seeing the play at around 8 and being enchanted with Harvey himself...but my parents hadn't censored ANYthing from me, so I already had a lot more experience than my kid has at the same age.
StepMomSterToo
StepMomSterToo Parent
June 26, 2010
age 7+

This is a great movie. One for the whole family. A great celebration of imagination.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

HARVEY, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Mary Chase, is a classic tale of relentlessly pleasant Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) and his best friend Harvey, a white rabbit that only Elwood can see. His eccentric insistence on the real existence of his friend have driven his sister Veta (Josephine Hull, who won an Academy Award for this performance) and niece Myrtle Mae (Peggy Dow) to distraction. They fear that Myrtle Mae will never be accepted into polite society and find a husband with her crazy uncle in the background, and decide to have him committed to a sanitarium called Chumley Rest. They don't bank on other characters having the same reaction to Elwood that the audience might; namely, that they are the ones needing psychiatric confinement and that Elwood is perfectly sane, if a bit unusual.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Slapstick humor, sophisticated dialogue, and perfect timing combine to create a rare blend of humor and thoughtful commentary about the nature of happiness and mental health.

According to an interview with Stewart from the 1990s included on the DVD, the role of Elwood P. Dowd was one of his very favorites. Mr. Dowd has the magical ability to make those he meets feel better about themselves, and to elevate those special qualities in those around them. Stewart also brings something of his own magical abilities to this film. Watching his Oscar-nominated performance, acting against thin air in his one-sided conversations with Harvey, the viewer can't shake the notion that the rabbit is as real as Elwood believes.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationship between Elwood P. Dowd and Harvey. Is Harvey real? Why is Elwood the only one who will admit to seeing him? Have you ever had an imaginary friend, or been able to imagine something that no one else seems to understand? When Veta and Myrtle Mae try to make Elwood go to Chumley Rest, do they do it out of love or cowardice? Why are misunderstood characters so popular in movies and books? What other characters like Elwood can you think of?

Movie Details

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