Now, Voyager (1942)

Director:

Irving Rapper

Writers:

Casey Robinson (screenplay)
Olive Higgins Prouty (from the novel by)

Release Date:

31 October 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Today Her Greatest! For a woman there's always an excuse . . .

Plot:

Boston spinster blossoms under therapy and finds impossible romance.

Plot Keywords:

Spinster | Cruise | Love Affair | Domineering Mother | Heart Attack

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Charlotte Vale
Paul Henreid	...	Jerry Durrance
Claude Rains	...	Dr. Jaquith
Gladys Cooper	...	Mrs. Henry Vale
Bonita Granville	...	June Vale
John Loder	...	Elliot Livingston
Ilka Chase	...	Lisa Vale
Lee Patrick	...	'Deb' McIntyre
Franklin Pangborn	...	Mr. Thompson
Katharine Alexander	...	Miss Trask (as Katherine Alexander)
James Rennie	...	Frank McIntyre
Mary Wickes	...	Dora Pickford

Also Known As:

La extraña pasajera (Spain) [es]
Massa el Ha-Ahava (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Perdutamente tua (Italy) [it]
Reise aus der Vergangenheit (Germany) [de]
To xespasma mias psyhis (Greece) [el]
Under nya stjärnor (Sweden) [sv]
Under nye stjerner (Denmark) [da]
Une femme cherche son destin (France) [fr]
Uusien tähtien alla (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Portuguese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:PG | Canada:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #8341) | Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

6621 Whitley Terrace, Whitley Heights, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The Walt Whitman poem that Bette Davis reads (just before leaving Cascades) is "The Untold Want" from Songs of Parting (just 2 lines): "The untold want, by life and land ne'er granted,/ Now, Voyager, sail thou forth, to seek and find."

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Jerry (Paul Henreid) introduces Charlotte (Bette Davis) as 'Camille' to his friends on the cruise line. Later, when the foursome take a break from shuffleboard and the two women retire to deck chairs, Deb McIntyre (Lee Patrick) calls her Charlotte.

Quotes:

Mrs. Henry Windle Vale: No member of the Vale family has ever had a nervous breakdown.
Dr. Jasquith: Well there's one having one now.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

Night and Day

Now, Voyager -An Excellent Expedition

After seeing this great film, I realized that not every mother wants the best for her children.

Gladys Cooper gave a brilliant performance as the outrageously domineering mother. Her best supporting actress nomination was well deserved. It's a pity she lost the coveted award to Teresa Wright, the tragic daughter-in-law in "Mrs. Miniver." Obviously, Oscar voters could not bring themselves to vote for such a wicked mother that Cooper portrayed. (The following year Cooper gave another brilliant performance as the wretched nun in "Song of Bernadette." She lost the Oscar because who would vote for a vicious nun?)

No words are adequate to describe the outstanding Bette Davis performance in this film. Sorry, Greer Garson, Bette deserved this Oscar as she did so many. Her change from a hopelessly-drawn spinster to a ravishing beauty with all its torment can never be forgotten.

Thank you Claude Rains for your excellent portrayal of the psychiatrist.