"Don’t let’s ask for the moon, we have the stars!"

Irving Rapper’s 1942 film Now, Voyager may have met with mixed reviews but it certainly found its audience, showing that people were thrilled with the on-screen pairing of Bette Davis and Paul Henreid in a story about a woman learning to come out of her shell. It helped that Davis connected so much with this role. She fought for the part and got it, creating one of her iconic and romantic screen personas. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Bette Davis series with Rapper’s film Now, Voyager. 

We talk about Davis and our thoughts of her in general, paired with our thoughts of this film and what works – or doesn’t work – for us. We chat about Casey Robinson’s script and Olive HIggins Prouty’s source material, contemplating issues we have like the flashback structure, and wondering if the story could have been told without them. (We also contemplate the original story, wondering if perhaps its foundation was flashbacks, giving the filmmakers a sense that they needed to include them.) We look at the cast – notably Davis, Henreid, Claude Rains, Gladys Cooper and Mary Wickes – and discuss what they bring to the table. And we revel in the sweepingly romantic themes that composer Max Steiner for which won an Oscar.

It’s a film that Andy loves and Pete finds problematic in lots of little ways, but certainly one well worth talking about. How does it stack up for you? Check it out then tune in!

Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon
• Script Transcript
• Original theatrical trailer
• Original poster artwork
• Now, Voyager by Olive Higgins Prouty
• Flickchart
• Letterboxd
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• Pete's Trailer: Gifted — "Once again, you go Chris Evans for making interesting, feel-good, even formulaic non-Cap films that bring a man tear right to my big stupid face. And a fine welcome back to Marc Webb who may just be bringing me everything I loved about 500 Days of Summer in the kinda foul mouth of McKenna Grace."

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