Now, Voyager (1942)

Popularity:

Up 19% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

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:

A Boston spinster blossoms under therapy and finds an impossible romance.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Cruise | Spinster | Heart Attack | Nervous Breakdown

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tod Andrews	...	Dr. Dan Regan (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
David Clyde	...	William (uncredited)
Yola d'Avril	...	Celestine (uncredited)
Frank Dae	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Donald Douglas	...	George Weston (uncredited)
Charles Drake	...	Leslie Trotter (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey	...	Hilda (uncredited)
Elspeth Dudgeon	...	Aunt Hester (uncredited)
Bill Edwards	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Mary Field	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Concert Audience Member (uncredited)
Reed Hadley	...	Henry Montague (uncredited)
Sheila Hayward	...	Katie (uncredited)
Bill Kennedy	...	Hamilton Hunneker (uncredited)
George Lessey	...	Uncle Herbert (uncredited)
Lester Matthews	...	Captain (uncredited)
Corbet Morris	...	Hilary (uncredited)
Tempe Pigott	...	Mrs. Smith (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright	...	Justine (uncredited)
Frank Puglia	...	Giuseppe (uncredited)
Constance Purdy	...	Rosa (uncredited)
Georges Renavent	...	M. Henri (uncredited)
Dorothy Vaughan	...	Woman (uncredited)
Janis Wilson	...	Tina Durrance (uncredited)
Isabel Withers	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Ian Wolfe	...	Lloyd (uncredited)
Charlotte Wynters	...	Grace Weston (uncredited)

Directed by
Irving Rapper

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

Produced by
Hal B. Wallis	....	producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Sol Polito		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Warren Low

Art Direction by
Robert M. Haas		(as Robert Haas)

Set Decoration by
Fred M. MacLean		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
Martha Acker	....	hair (uncredited)
Edwin Allen	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Al Alleborn	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emmett Emerson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Sherry Shourds	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Scotty Moore	....	props (uncredited)
John More	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert B. Lee	....	sound

Special Effects by
Willard Van Enger	....	special effects

Stunts
Audrey Scott	....	stunt double: Bette Davis (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe Cramer	....	best boy (uncredited)
Frank Evans	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Al Green	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Harold Noyes	....	grip (uncredited)
Charles O'Bannon	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Bert Six	....	stills (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Dery	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Rydo Loshak	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Marguerite Royce	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Don Siegel	....	montages

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestral arrangements

Other crew
Edward A. Blatt	....	dialogue director (as Edward Blatt)
George Becker	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Meta Carpenter	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Phyllis Clark	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Gilberto Souto	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (presents) (as Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.) (as A Warner Bros. First National Picture also)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm print)
• Warner Bros. (1943) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1947) (France) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2005) (Greece) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (1985) (USA) (video) (Laserdisc)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film set)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (USA) (DVD) (4 film set)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  current copyright proprietor (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Portuguese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:0 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Sweden:Btl | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (re-release) (re-rating) (2008) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | USA:Not Rated | USA:Approved (MPPDA rating: certificate #8341)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

The main love theme from the score was published as the hit song "It Can't Be Wrong" with music by Max Steiner and lyrics by Kim Gannon.

Goofs:

Continuity: Later in the movie, Jaquith puts his hands in his pockets, then his arms are folded, then back to pockets.

Quotes:

Dr. Jasquith:I thought you came up here to have a nervous breakdown.
Charlotte:Well, I've decided not to have one... if it's all the same to you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Prisoner: Episode #1.263" (1982)

Soundtrack:

Perfidia

Bette Davis Transforms into a Raving Beauty

"Now, Voyager" is arguably one of the best of all motion pictures by Bette Davis. As Charlotte Vale, a rich Bostonian smothered by a mother who had her late in life, Davis plays a frumpy, low-esteemed, near recluse of a woman. That is, until her cousin intervenes by bringing a psychiatrist, Dr. Jacquith (Claude Rains) into Miss Vale's life.

Miss Vale's cousin and shrink conspire to bring her out of the steel shell her domineering mother (Gladys Cooper) has encased her within. Their idea is to send her on a cruise with the doctor's advice to learn everything, do everything, engage everyone. The results are a remarkable transformation of a woman who believed she was an 'ugly duckling' into Miss Bette Davis as a sizzling hot beauty like she never was before or after in any other film.

How Miss Davis didn't view herself as a beauty or use her beauty to create her success as an actress is what "Now, Voyager," proves is most remarkable about her 66 year long acting career. If she had wanted to be a "bombshell," she could have, two snaps up. Davis didn't want to be a "movie star," or "glamor girl." She wanted to be a great actor and achieved her life's goal. Not only did she make her career using acting skill and shrewd business finesse, Bette Davis also made quite a few other people's acting careers work well for them by taking a back seat in films with her role having a weaker script. Thus, as co-actors they could collaborate to make out of an average screenplay a screen hit and a new acting star. Davis was so unselfish an actor that she was in the acting business to benefit the art. That's why she's my favorite actor of all time: she was so self-assured as an actor in a man's world (in the 20th century), that her ego didn't get in the way of making truly great movies with co-actors with whom she worked with as a team player. "Now, Voyage," is one such film. Clearly, she steals the show, but she takes Paul Heinried (love interest, Jerry) right next to her, conjoined at the hip. What a delight it must have been to work with a true artist who was a great expert at her craft.

Bogie & Bergman in "Casablanca," don't have one thing over Davis & Heinreid in "Now, Voyager," when it comes to the most intense, well acted, extremely well scripted romantic drama that has it all. Davis is glamorous beyond compare and Heinreid is a smooth, sensuous, suitor.

This is my favorite of all of her motion pictures (at least I believe I own and have seen them all). How anyone could say that Bette Davis wasn't a raving beauty after they saw her in this film is beyond me. Not only does "Jerry" fall madly in love with "Charlotte," so does audience after audience, generation after generation.

There's much more to this great story, but I'm not telling! Buy the DVD.