Now, Voyager - The Screenplay

by Olive Higgins Prouty, Jeanne Thomas Allen

Now Voyager (1942) is appreciated today for a skillfully modulated performance by Bette Davis and a rare theme in American mass culture—the study of a woman's struggle for independence. This book includes the complete screenplay.

Genres: Film

232 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1984

About the author

Though Olive Higgins Prouty is primarily remembered as a romance novelist, she was also a poet, writing her poetry whenever and wherever she could. Her poems were never published during her lifetime, as they were much more intimate writings than the novels she wrote professionally. Perhaps because she could put more of herself into her poetry than in her novels, Prouty’s poems are powerful and emotional, revealing ideas radical for the time in which they were written. Her children, Richard Prouty and Jane Chapin, published her poems in a very limited release in 1997.

Prouty was born in Worcester in 1882 to Katherine Chapin and Milton Prince Higgins, who would raise one of Worcester’s most prominent, and one of Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s most important, families. The Higgins family residence was at the corner of West Street and Salisbury Street, where WPI’s Goddard Hall now stands. Prouty spent most of her childhood deeply connected to WPI as her father was superintendent of the Washburn shops and supervised its very construction. Milton and Katherine Higgins had four children in total, all of whom would go on to make generous contributions to WPI, including Higgins Laboratories, Higgins House, Sanford Riley Hall, a scholarship, and a library fund. Milton Higgins was not only prominent in the development of WPI, but he was also an entrepreneur, buying the Norton Emery Wheel Co. with George Alden in 1885 and serving as its president until his death in 1912.

Prouty’s mother was also an active member of the growing Worcester community. Katherine was the superintendent of the Sunday school at the First Congregational Church and insisted upon Olive joining the church at age thirteen. Katherine was also the founder of the Parent Teachers Association, having spoken in many states for the PTA throughout her lifetime.

Prouty was close to her parents despite their busy professional lives, and speaks of her time in Worcester and at WPI with great fondness. Though she had an early interest in rhyme, Prouty did not have much early success at school, and the anxiety that resulted was a precursor to nervous troubles that would come later in her life.

Nevertheless, Olive Higgins graduated from Smith College in 1904 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and returned to Worcester determined to start a writing career. Prouty feared that her marriage to Lewis Prouty would hinder her attempts to write professionally, but Lewis turned out to be supportive and introduced Olive to the editor who would publish her first stories. The Proutys moved to Brookline, Massachusetts soon after their marriage in June, 1907.

Prouty’s first novel Bobbie, General Manager was published in 1913. She tried to keep up with her writing, but by 1920 Prouty was feeling more and more torn between her writing and her duties to her family. As the Proutys were quite prosperous, Olive had trouble balancing the social obligations that came with prosperity with her family obligations and still having time to write. When her third daughter Anne died in 1919, she decided to devote herself to the care of her children.

Prouty’s youngest daughter Olivia was very dear to her, possibly more so than her other two surviving children. In both her published and unpublished works, she rarely mentioned Richard or Jane, but she wrote quite a bit about Olivia. Olivia’s death in 1923 of encephalitis devastated Prouty, and the nervous breakdown that resulted led her to spend some time at the Riggs Foundation in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Her psychiatrist, Dr. Austen Fox Riggs, encouraged her to treat her writing professionally, and Prouty was immeasurably grateful for the new freedom that afforded her.

Stella Dallas, one of Prouty’s most famous works, was published around this time. It was eventually made into a play in 1924, then a radio serial, and then its first movie incarnation in 1925. In 1937 it was remade with Barbara Stanwyck, and Be

Reviews

[Nadia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but wasn't in love with it. Olive Prouty was a good friend of Sylvia Plath. In fact she helped to support her financially when she was in a psychiatric institution. Interestingly, Plath makes fun of Prouty in her book, The Bell Jar, through the character of Philomena Guinea. All in all, I probably won't read anything else that she wrote.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, Voyager, based on the novel by Olive Higgins Prouty
9.3 out of 10


This remarkable motion was released in 1942, it is black and white and we find it on The New York Times' Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list.

It has won an Oscar and was nominated for another two, including one for Bette David.
The superb actress, one of the best ever, to make a comparison with the present, she in the league with Meryl Streep and only a handful of others, has the role of Charlotte Vale.

In the beginning, the protagonist is mockingly called aunt Charlotte.
For at this initial stage, she is a spinster, a woman that is too frightened, depressed, anxious, abused to live.

She has been dominated from birth by her oppressive, control obsessed mother.
Mrs. Henry Vale is very class conscious, a rich woman that belongs to the elite of Boston, who had not wanted this child so late.

Indeed, most of the brothers and sisters of the heroine are much older and she has always felt unwanted and somehow unfit, apart, rejected and alien.
In the first chapter, Charlotte aka Bette Davis is at the point where a breakdown is imminent.

Fortunately, her sister, June Vale, has brought in a desperately needed helper.
The prestigious Claude Rains plays Doctor Jaquith, who has come to the large mansion to see the suffering young woman.

Nevertheless, the rigid, archaic, retrograde, rather sadistic mother disagrees with the notion that a psychiatrist should see a Vale.
In fact, even if asked by June to keep the profession of the visitor secret, so that her sister would not panic knowing that a doctor is there, Mrs. Henry Vale immediately spoils the arrangement by stating that this is a physician.

When the guest asks to see the huge house, with the guidance of the frail, nervous, tense young woman, he has a chance to see the room.
After an apparently easy communication, he notices some aspects that draw his attention and the insightful, terrified Charlotte nearly breaks down.

Eventually, she would have the chance to spend time at the sanatorium where the doctor is in charge, against the reluctance of the mother.
She is so much better that we do not recognize her, without the glasses, the antiquated outfits her mother forced her to wear.

We also learn that she had met a young, handsome officer, while on voyage with her mother.
They became infatuated with each other, saw and 'made love' to one another - this meant kissing in those primeval days.

When the dictatorial parent learned about the intimacy and affection, she stepped in.
No Vale could descend to the level of a commoner.

Hence, better single and suffering than married to an ordinary officer.
This has had a traumatic impact on the once positive, optimistic, flourishing woman.

However, now that what looks like positive psychology therapy, long before it would be discovered, around 2000, had intervened, Charlotte is once again blooming.
Enter the stage Jeremiuah Durrance, called by friends Jerry, played by Paul Henreid, of Casablanca fame, where he was Ingrid Bergman's resistance leading husband.

He thinks she is called Beauchamp or something similar.
They soon fall in love with each other.

A near death experience brings them ever closer.
As they visit Brazil, on shore from the ship where they had met, a more than clumsy driver tries to back the car near a precipice.

They fall into it.
Alhamdullilah, they survive, but it was a close call.

After the elation, enthusiasm, climax of finding love and joy, they have to part.
He is married, albeit it is a sad story.

A psychological similarly is stricking.
He has a daughter that was unwanted, like Charlotte.

For Jerry had to marry and stay with his spouse because of his child.
Will the two lovers find a way to overcome obstacles?

Is the abusive, tyrannical Mrs. Henry Vale able to command over her youngest child again?
Or will the heroine find the strength, determination, grit to fight back and remain Independent?

These are the questions that would be answered if you see this classic, smart, excellent movie.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good story that kept my interest from start to finish.

[Kimberly Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saw the movie long before I knew it was a book. I loved the movie as a kid, and even more as an adult -- and I enjoyed the book even more.