Now, Voyager: A Touching Tale of Transformation

It introduced the world to a new way to smoke cigarettes and gave us one of the best closing lines in motion picture history, "Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars."

Now, Voyager (1942) is a compassionate love story and psychological drama that holds an inspirational truth—the key to happiness is within you. But in order to unlock it, you have to learn who you are, discovering what you want out of life.

Hailed as the first female film, it was Bette Davis’s biggest box office hit of the 1940s. And in it, we see her like never before.

Davis physically transforms into dowdy, overweight Charlotte Vale, a spinster heiress who has been emotionally beaten down by her tyrannically malevolent mother. My favorite Davis role, she draws you into Charlotte’s sorrow as she suffers from low self-esteem and self-doubt.

Driven to a nervous breakdown, Charlotte recovers with the guidance of a friendly psychiatrist, played wonderfully by Claude Rains. He brings her out of her shell, sending her on an ocean voyage far away from her repressive, rejecting mother. On the trip, she is awakened by a meeting with a handsome and enigmatic married man named Jerry.

The role of Jerry established Paul Henreid as a romantic leading man. His suave softness makes it’s easy for Charlotte to open up to him. Slowly you see her gain confidence in parallel with their blossoming relationship. Their poignant scenes together emanate with an unspoken desire that is enhanced by the soft romanticism of the Academy Award winning score.

As you watch Charlotte transform, it’s hard to believe you’re watching the same disgruntled woman from film’s first scene. Davis takes you on Charlotte’s journey with a sympathetic sensitivity and spark, proving that when you feel beautiful, you radiate beauty.

Charlotte’s affair with Jerry not only sculpts her into a stronger woman. It also unexpectedly leads her to her life’s calling and teaches her to cope with life’s unexpected ups and downs and be content.

This “ugly duckling” storyline proves powerful because most of us have lived through it one way or another. For many, it’s the preteen or teenage years. For Charlotte, it’s a little later, but still very easy to connect to. Why? Because it captures a sincere certainty—when you feel good about yourself, others can feel it from you.

The moon and the stars rolled into one, Now, Voyager is a film that honors the female heart and mind with the purest candor. The ultimate romantic melodrama, it’s an excellent expedition accompanied by an extraordinary ensemble. And its message is as memorable as Henreid suavely lighting two cigarettes and passing one to Davis.

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