Category Archives: 1942 Films

1942 Films, Bette Davis, Claude Rains, Drama, Gladys Cooper, Irving Rapper, Janis Wilson, Paul Henreid

Now, Voyager-1942

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Now, Voyager-1942

Director Irving Rapper

Starring Bette Davis, Paul Henreide, Claude Raines

Scott’s Review #1,466

Reviewed February 16, 2025

Grade: B+

Now, Voyager (1942) showcases Bette Davis’s acting chops in a dramatic film with a feminist stance. It also promotes believing in yourself and developing confidence, which can inspire us all.

Davis, a star, is the star of the film, so all eyes are on her. It’s an early role and one of an ingenue, but she adds a flurry of wit and humor to the role.

As the famous 1981 hit by Kim Carnes says, ‘She’s got Bette Davis Eyes,’ and the star evokes so much emotion with those eyes.

Films of the 1940s are magical and take me away to a time long before I was born. My husband had a fantastic encounter with director Irving Rapper years ago, necessitating our viewing of one of his films.

Boston heiress Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis) is a neurotic mess, primarily because of her domineering mother (Gladys Cooper). Reduced to insecurities and her mother’s glorified servant, Charlotte rarely leaves home.

But after a stint in a sanatorium, where she receives the attention of wise Dr. Jasquith (Claude Rains), Charlotte comes out of her shell and elects to go on a cruise for inspiration. Aboard the ship, she meets Jerry (Paul Henreid) and falls in love despite his being unhappily married.

They enjoy a brief tryst in Rio before returning to the States, where Charlotte struggles to forget him and find happiness in ordinary life.

But will she encounter him once again in an unexpected way? Will the link to his young daughter, Tina (Janis Wilson), who is similar to Charlotte, bring them together or drive them apart?

The pleasure in Now, Voyager is watching Davis play mousy- nervous and clad in an unflattering dress and spectacles. She couldn’t be more different from the regal star that Davis was. She frets with insecurity and a lack of self-confidence.

But it’s equally pleasing to see Davis as a blooming Charlotte. Dressed in a ravishing dress with a stylish hat and jewelry, she exudes confidence when she returns home to gaping mouths.

Is this the same Charlotte, they wonder?

I yearned for one big blowup scene where Charlotte puts her mother in her place, but she treads lightly. After all, Charlotte will inherit everything if she is just patient.

Still, it would have been satisfying to see Charlotte insult the shit out of Mommie dearest.

Cooper is divine in a one-note role as the callous and cold mother. Unhappy to have had Charlotte at all after birthing three sons, she mistreats her daughter and revels in her repression.

She’s a fantastic bitch to be remembered in cinema history.

While Charlotte’s relationship with Tina is delightful, and the pair helps each other heal, the film’s ending is unsatisfying.

Tina and Charlotte live happily ever after when Jerry agrees to let Tina reside in the Vale household, but Charlotte and Jerry don’t get the Cinderella story I had hoped.

Will Charlotte end up a spinster after all?

For 1942, Now Voyager was way ahead of its time in terms of mental illness, not given much credence until the 1960s or beyond. Charlotte’s time in a sanitarium is celebrated and healing for her, and stereotypes of ‘crazy people’ are not showcased.

Her doctor is a lifesaver for her, proving that mental health treatment can be successful. It was important to delve into that so early on.

Rapper competently directs the film. My favorite set is the quiet Boston area estate. The grand house is showcased amid pouring rain through the plentiful windows. This exudes coziness and stuffiness. Charlotte is trapped inside the walls.

Later, the Rio de Janeiro sequences are grand. An exciting trip to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain is a sheer delight and the highlight of the Charlotte/Jerry dynamic.

Now, Voyager (1942) is a gift for cinephiles eager for a trip down memory lane to see Bette Davus the star and a celebration of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress-Bette Davis, Best Supporting Actress-Gladys Cooper, Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (won)

1942 Films, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Dame May Whitty, Drama, Greer Garson, Henry Travers, Peter Lawford, Romantic Drama, Teresa Wright, Walter Pidgeon, War, William Wyler

Mrs. Miniver-1942

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Mrs. Miniver-1942

Director William Wyler

Starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon

Scott’s Review #841

Reviewed December 13, 2018

Grade: A-

Released in 1942 amid the horrific World War II, Mrs. Miniver (1942) was a smash hit, winning over audiences concerned with the troubled and uncertain times.

Decades later, the film does not age as well as other similarly themed films, but still entertains and tells a good story with an important theme.

The film is nestled in the war drama genre with romance. The film won numerous Oscars the year of its release, including Best Picture and star Greer Garson won for Best Actress.

The story is told from the perspective of an affluent British family and the struggles they face to keep things together during growing peril. The focus primarily remains on an unassuming housewife, Kay Miniver (Garson).

The supporting players do much to flesh out the film with fantastic performances by Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright, and Henry Travers as Clem Miniver, Carol Beldon, and Mr. Ballard, respectively.

The direction by William Wyler is astounding and adds to the perfectly crafted ambiance and homey details.

The family lives a comfortable life in a whimsical village outside of London. Quite idealized, they own a large garden and a motorboat on the River Thames.

Along with Kay and Clem, their three children of varying ages and their housekeeper and cook reside with them. Besides the parents, the central couple is son Vin (Richard Ney) and the prominent Carol (Wright); the pair initially disagree on politics but finally fall madly in love.

As the soap opera-style family situations continue, the war grows closer and closer to their house.

As Mrs. Miniver progresses, Vin enlists in the army to assist with war efforts, a German Nazi breaks into the Miniver house, a central character dies, and bombs and planes crash.

Through it all, Kay remains stoic and takes the family through challenging situations, adding melodrama to the film. The woman’s journey and resolve to keep everything and everyone intact is at the core.

The film is mainly a family drama with the Minivers and the townspeople experiencing trials and tribulations. In this way, Mrs. Miniver risks being a one-trick pony, albeit an emotional and teary-eyed one.

The film’s rich characteristics and polished nature make it more than it ought to be, and the superlative cast, production values, and timely release undoubtedly made it what it was in 1942.

In present times, however, Mrs. Miniver seems diminished in importance and relevance with a sappy and overly sentimental feel, World War II in the distant past, and several other wars come and gone.

Wyler carefully packaged the film to hit every emotion, from the bombastic musical score to the proper English characters to the comic relief housekeeper.

The film is a giant Hollywood production, but perhaps a bit too perfect to age with any zest or reason to watch more than once.

The film might be better remembered for its strong female lead. Told from Kay’s perspective, it was unusual in 1942 for a movie (especially with a war theme) not to have the story from the male point of view. Still refreshing in 2018, this quality was downright groundbreaking at the time.

Kay stays strong and proud through the ravages of war that are closing in on her family with unbridled boldness and nary a simpering quality. Wright’s Carol is an early champion for strong, female-driven characters, and, in a more minor way, she is also a muscled female role model.

Mrs. Miniver (1942) is a well-crafted film of its time that displays lavish production values and strong characters worthy of admiration.

The film is a significant win for a glimpse of the 1940s, especially for fans of good, solid drama. There are no significant flaws to harp on, but the overall piece has not aged exceptionally well, and other similar films (Casablanca, 1942) are more memorable.

Oscar Nominations: 6 wins-Outstanding Motion Picture (won), Best Director-William Wyler (won), Best Actor-Walter Pidgeon, Best Actress-Greer Garson (won), Best Supporting Actor-Henry Travers, Best Supporting Actress-Teresa Wright (won), Dame May Whitty, Best Screenplay (won), Best Sound Recording, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (won), Best Film Editing, Best Special Effects

1942 Films, Animated, Best Film of the Year, Children, Clyde Geronimi, David Hand, Disney, Drama, Eric Larson, Scott's Top 100 Films

Bambi-1942

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Bambi-1942

Director David Hand

Starring Various voices

Top 100 Films #88

Scott’s Review #556

Reviewed December 22, 2016

Grade: A

Bambi (1942) is one of my favorite classic Disney animated features. It is simply a lovely, endearing, and heartbreaking tale.

Gorgeous and flawless, the film sends a definite message of animals longing for peace in a world filled with hunters attempting to disturb and kill the graceful deer.

After all these years, this message still resonates loud and clear, sad, heartbreakingly. All deer hunters should watch this film and dare to hunt.

Bambi was released in the Golden Age of Disney films, led by Snow White, Dumbo, and Pinocchio, to name but a few.

We first meet baby Bambi as his dear mother nurtures and nestles him, fawning over him with pride and teaching him the joys of the forest. Bambi’s father is the Great Prince of the Forest- protector of all the creatures of the land.

Bambi’s mother (unnamed) warns an exuberant Bambi to be cautious of the gorgeous yet dangerous meadows, where the deer are vulnerable and unprotected.

During the film’s famous gut-wrenching scene, tragedy occurs, and violence disrupts the peaceful forest, leaving Bambi alone, lost, and devastated, forced into a cruel world of tragedy, realism, and responsibility.

The scene gets to me every time as we see the pain and the harshness of life for the sweet deer, to say nothing of the other animals in the forest- namely, Thumper (a rabbit) and Flower (a young Skunk).

These characters are Bambi’s best friends. The dripping teardrop that oozes from Bambi’s eye can never be forgotten.

To counterbalance the film’s darkness, Disney successfully adds cheerful scenes of the animals dancing and co-mingling with each other- as one community.

This is nice as it shows the power and bond between the creatures- they are united as a family and take care of one another. I love this message, especially as young people will watch the film for the first time.

There is also a sweet romance offered between Bambi and Faline.

Watching the film and listening to the musical score is a way to experience sheer beauty. The music makes the film powerful- its classical and operatic elements are gorgeous and will elicit emotions.

Visually, each frame is a drawing set against a still, and it is magical to watch and marvel at the amount of work that undoubtedly went into this preparation.

In the end, the circle of life completes itself. Bambi becomes the Great Prince of the Forest, replacing his father as the protector. Now, all grown up with two tiny babies of his own, he must protect his family and friends.

Life goes on. This is a sad yet realistic message. How brave Disney was in creating an excellent piece like Bambi.

Personal satisfaction is observing my beloved female feline friend, Thora, become mesmerized and attentive to the film each time I watch it.

Disney’s Bambi is a wonderful, cherished treasure that evokes emotion and teaches a valuable, painful message. It is a timeless masterpiece to be enjoyed for generations to come.

One will not escape the film with dry eyes, a testament to the marvelous filmmaking involved.

Oscar Nominations: Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, Best Original Song-“Love Is a Song”, Best Sound Recording

1942 Films, Alan Ladd, Crime Drama, Drama, Film noir, Frank Tuttle, Robert Preston, Veronica Lake

This Gun For Hire-1942

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This Gun For Hire-1942

Director Frank Tuttle

Starring Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Alan Ladd

Scott’s Review #285

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Reviewed November 3, 2015

Grade: B

This Gun for Hire (1942) is an early film noir that influenced later films of a similar genre. Starring marque headliners of their day, Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, this film is a surprisingly violent experience for its period.

Shot in black and white, the film is wonderfully lit, adding style and substance.

The film begins with a bang, as hitman Philip Raven (Ladd) murders a chemist and blackmailer in exchange for a hefty amount of loot.

His wealthy boss double-crosses him and reports him to the Los Angeles Police Department. Detective Michael Crane, aided by his sexy girlfriend and nightclub singer Ellen Graham (Lake), takes the case.

The tangled love affair between Ellen and Raven, the film’s main draw, adds a wrench to the story.

I love this film’s black-and-white shooting, as many were in 1942. This enhances the tone because it is of the crime/hitman variety.

The chemistry between Lake and Ladd smolders, and Lake is great as a femme fatale with long blonde locks and a sultry pout.

She inspires the character conceived for L.A. Confidential in 1997, as Kim Basinger portrays a Veronica Lake look-alike. Ladd is doubly brooding as the hitman with a damaged childhood and ultimately sympathetic personality.

The setting of San Francisco and L.A. is wonderfully perfect and adds depth as the warm and sunny locales are mixed in with murder, corruption, and shenanigans. Who wouldn’t make comparisons to Chinatown (1974)??

A flaw I found in the film and which I found it difficult to buy into is the implausibility of Ellen falling in love with Raven as he tries to murder her-unsuccessfully so. This point seems plot-driven and a way to incorporate a mainstream love story amid the thrilling film noir.

Indeed, she would find satisfaction in a romantic sense with her detective boyfriend since the duo has no conspicuous problems. The love between her and Raven is all the more inexplicable. Still- sparks do indeed fly on-screen.

An action-packed crime affair, This Gun for Hire (1942) laid a crisp blueprint for film noir, hitmen, and action-type films for decades to come, and I admire it for this reason.

1942 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Priscilla Lane, Robert Cummings, Thriller, Tony Randall

Saboteur-1942

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Saboteur-1942

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lake

Scott’s Review #98

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Reviewed July 9, 2014

Grade: B+

Saboteur (1942) is a very early Alfred Hitchcock film that served as a blueprint for his masterpieces in the years to come.

The story follows a common theme among Hitchcock thrillers- the falsely accused man. An aircraft factory worker, Barry Kane, is falsely accused of an act of sabotage that kills his best friend.

Only Kane and the audience know the true culprit and set out on a quest for his innocence and to find and capture the real culprit.

The film then begins a tale of adventure, cross-country hijinks, romance, and political espionage, similar to the Hitchcock classic North by Northwest (1959), which followed years later.

This film contains some excellent scenes- the traveling Carnie train adventure, the blind man, and the climactic chase scene atop the Statue of Liberty are fantastic.

Saboteur (1942) is a bit raw, and the chemistry between the leads, Robert Cummings and Priscilla Lane, is poor, but an early Hitchcock film to be appreciated.