Was the movie Harvey based on a novel?

Answer 1

Actually it was based on a stage play by Mary Chase. In a very real sense Harvey opened up the box of Adult Fantasy- with a somewhat offbeat human character and an invisible or super-powered animal companion. Up to a point, Francis the talking Mule, ( let us Bray! I could not resist that comment)- and Mr. Ed are well, hoofbeats from Harvey. It should be noted nobody ever talked to either Ed or Francis except the owner-handler, Donald O Connor ( in the Mule opus) and Wilbur Post in Mr. Ed. Understandably, Wilbur"s wife, I think it was Donna Reed, a good-calilber actress, thinks Wilbur is crazy. The basic plot line shows much shared trackage, or carriageways with Harvey.