Now, Voyager (1942)

Now, Voyager is a 1942 American drama film directed by Irving Rapper. The screenplay by Casey Robinson is based on the 1941 novel of the same name by Olive Higgins Prouty, who borrowed her title from a line in the Walt Whitman poem "The Untold Want," which reads in its entirety, "The untold want by life and land ne'er granted, / Now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find." Bette Davis' portrayal garnered her an Academy Award nomination, and the film continues to be popular not only due to its star power but also the "emotional crescendos" engendered in the storyline.

Under a new arrangement with the studio, producer Hal B. Wallis made Now, Voyager his first independent production at Warner. He took an active role in the production, including casting decisions.

The initial choices for Charlotte were Irene Dunne, Norma Shearer and Ginger Rogers When Bette Davis learned about the project, she campaigned for and successfully won the role. More than any other of her previous films, Davis became absorbed in the role, not only reading the original novel but becoming involved in details such as choosing her wardrobe personally. Consulting with Orry-Kelly, she suggested a drab outfit, including an ugly foulard dress for Charlotte initially, to contrast with stylish, "timeless" creations that marked her later appearance on the cruise ship.

The choice of Davis' leading men became important as well, and after the initial costume and makeup tests of Paul Henreid, Bette was aghast at the "slicked back" gigolo appearance of the Austrian actor. Her comment, "He looked just like Valentino" was shared with Henreid who agreed that he was very uncomfortable with that brilliantine image and when she insisted on another screen test with a more natural hairstyle, he was finally accepted as the choice for her screen lover.

In her 1987 memoir This 'N That, Davis also revealed that another co-star on the film, Claude Rains (with whom she shared the screen in Juarez, Mr. Skeffington, and Deception) was her favorite co-star.

Initial production of the Prouty novel had to take into account that European locales would not be possible in the midst of a war, despite the novelist's insistence on using Italy as the main setting. Her quirky demands for vibrant colors and flashbacks shot in black and white with subtitles were similarly disregarded. 

Principal photography was shifted to Warner's sound stage 18 and various locations around California including the San Bernardino National Forest while European scenes were replaced by stock footage of the Caribbean. One of the primary reasons for Davis becoming interested in the original project was that photography would also take place in her hometown, Boston.

The film highlighted Davis' ability to shape her future artistic ventures, as not only did she have a significant role in influencing the decisions over her co-stars, the choice of director was predicated on a need to have a compliant individual at the helm. Davis had previously worked with the writer Irving Rapper on films where he served as a dialogue director, but his gratitude for her support turned into a grudging realization that Davis could control the film.  Although his approach was conciliatory, the to-and-fro with Davis slowed production and "he would go home evenings angry and exhausted." 

The dailies, however showed a "surprisingly effective" Davis, at the top of her form.

For years, Davis and co-star Paul Henreid claimed the scenes in which Jerry puts two cigarettes in his mouth, lights both, then passes one to Charlotte, was developed by them during rehearsals, inspired by a habit Henreid shared with his wife, but drafts of Casey Robinson's script on file at the University of Southern California indicate it was included by the screenwriter in his original script. The scene remained an indelible trademark that Davis later would exploit as 'hers'.