Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Now, Voyager Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 31, 2019

Irving Rapper's "Now, Voyager" (1942) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include archival programs with Bette Davis and Paul Henreid; selected scene commentary by film scholar Jeff Smith; interview with critic Farah Smith Nehme; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

In Irving Rapper’s film Now, Voyager Bette Davis plays four different characters that respond to the same name, Charlotte Vale. The first is a single young woman pushed on the verge of a serious nervous breakdown who coexists with her elderly mother, Mrs. Henry Vale (Gladys Cooper), in an old Victorian house in Boston. When Dr. Jaquith (Claude Rains) visits the house it takes him just a few minutes to conclude that unless the woman is released from her posh cage it is only a matter of time before she self-destructs. Dr. Jaquith negotiates the release and the woman is sent to an upscale sanatorium, which is where the second character is introduced. A depressed, brittle, and socially awkward woman gradually begins regaining her confidence and with it her desire to live a fulfilling life. Her transformation is complete during a lengthy cruise where she encounters the married architect Jerry Durrance (Paul Henreid) and then while fully in control of her feelings and emotions falls in love with him. The third character is a very confident woman that exits the cruiser and heads back to Boston determined to protect her transformation. During the inevitable clash with Mrs. Vale, she emerges victorious and validates Dr. Jaquith’s diagnosis of her ‘condition’. Though having a drastically different personality, the fourth and final character faces the exact same dilemma the first character does: surrender and remain miserable or be brave and begin a brand new chapter in her life.

Rapper’s cinematic adaptation of Olive Higgins Prouty’s novel is done in a way that essentially makes it impossible for Now, Voyager not to be seen as a sterile soap opera from another era. What does this mean exactly? It means that the narrative does not allow the characterizations and main contrasts that define it to flourish without following the strict cannons of old-fashioned melodrama. For example, there isn’t an obvious difference between the ways in which the big social gatherings and intimate encounters are shot and as a result the subtle nuances that are needed to produce authentic dramatic highs never materialize. Additionally, and perhaps even more importantly, virtually all of the exchanges throughout the film are done with that dry and very stagy precision that all makes it impossible to temporarily forget that all meaningful characters are played by actors that have memorized their lines. Unsurprisingly, it routinely looks like the film is simply pushing its characters through conventional pre-scripted melodramatic cycles.

Now, of course a case can easily be made that this is precisely how things ought to be. After all, Now, Voyager is a Hollywood melodrama from the early 1940s. What makes the case easy to dismiss are the small but unmissable moments where Davis’ character temporarily steps out of her cinematic shell, ponders her situation and even allows herself to trust her instincts, much like a real woman in her predicament would while struggling to turn her life around. Rains’ character also reveals a deeper understanding of her ‘condition’ that is at odds with the film’s unabashed fondness of melodramatic clichés.

Ultimately, when all is said and done neither the young woman’s transformation nor the drama that surrounds it can be described as authentic, and this is the film’s biggest flaw. It is just awfully difficult to care about characters that are fully aware that they are expected to properly rehash piles of clichés and sell emotions that are meaningless to them. Yes, a lot of the footage that they appear in is classy and beautiful, but there isn’t enough life in it.

*The film earned three Oscar nominations, two for Davis and Cooper, and one for composer Max Steiner. Only the latter took home the coveted Oscar statuette.

Now, Voyager Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Now, Voyager arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the booklet that is provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This new digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director film scanner, primarily from the 35mm nitrate original camera negative. Some sequences were scanned from a 35mm nitrate fine-grain master held by the Museum of Modern Art. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, and warps were manually removed using MTI Film's DRS, while Digital Vision's Phoenix was used for jitter, flicker, smaller dirt, grain, and noise management. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm nitrate fine-grain using Avid's Pro Tools and iZotope RX.

Colorist: Lee Kline/Criterion Post, New York.
Film scanning: Motion Picture Imaging, Burbank, CA."

There are a few areas with noticeable density fluctuations -- which basically leave the impression that the visuals are just a tad softer than the rest of the film -- but they are so small that I actually think that most viewers will completely ignore them. And this is the only inconsistency worth pointing out, because everything else looks quite spectacular. Indeed, when projected this new restoration conveys the solid depth, clarity, and overall consistent fluidity that we have come to expect from high-quality makeovers of older films. Also, the grading job is excellent. You can see from the numerous screencaptures that are provided with the review that blacks are solid but not boosted and there are wide ranges of very healthy whites and grays. The entire film has been thoroughly cleaned up as well. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Now, Voyager Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There are no technical issues to report in our review. The audio is clean, crisp, and stable. Balance is good as well. Predictably, dynamic intensity is limited, but I would not say that is in sync with the film's dated personality. In some areas there are actually some surprisingly good dynamic contrasts.

Now, Voyager Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Bette Davis - presented here is an archival episode of The Dick Cavett Show in which Bette Davis discusses her contribution to Now, Voyager and her time in the film industry. The episode was broadcast in 1971. In English, not subtitled. (54 min, 1080i).

• Paul Henreid - presented here is an archival interview with actor Paul Henreid in which he quickly addresses a famous sequence from Now, Voyager and his contribution to Casablanca. The interview aired in February 1980. In English, not subtitled. (5 min, 1080i).

• Farah Smith Nehme - in this new video interview, critic Farah Smith Nehme discusses Now Voyager and its success at the box office in the early 1940s. The interview was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2019. In English, not subtitled. (32 min, 1080p).

• Larry McQueen - in this new video interview, costume film historian Larry McQueen discusses Bette Davis' professional relationship with costume designer Orry-Kelly. The interview was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2019. In English, not subtitled. (11 min, 1080p).

• Selected-Scene Commentary - film scholar Jeff Smith address six sequences from Now, Voyager where Max Steiner's score has an important role to play. In English, not subtitled. (27 min, 1080p).
  
  1. Opening Credits
  2. Charlotte's Theme
  3. Dr. Jaquith's Theme
  4. The Love Theme
  5. Charlotte's Return
  6. Tina's Theme

• Lux Radio Theatre - presented here are two radio adaptations of Now, Voyager. The first broadcast aired on May 10, 1943, and stars Ida Lupino, and Paul Henreid. The second aired on February 11, 1946, and stars Bette Davis and Gregory Peck.

• Booklet - 32-page illustrated booklet featuring Patricia White's "We Have the Stars", Bette Davis' "The Actress Plays Her Part", and technical credits.

Now, Voyager Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The melodrama in this film is way too sterile for my taste. There are only a couple of sequences where the stars behave like real people would, not like actors that are fully aware that they are expected to properly rehash all sorts of different clichés and sell emotions that are meaningless to them. While contemporary soap operas come with different personalities, I actually find them unattractive for the exact same reason. If Now, Voyager happens to be one of your favorite films, Criterion's release should be on your shelf. It is sourced from a very solid new 4K restoration. RECOMMENDED only to the fans.