Now Voyager

The untold want by life and land ne'er granted, 

Now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find.

Walt Whitman

Since the WGA strike started to affect television, I sit aimlessly channel surfing when I am in need of some entertainment.  I have been tuning into the classic movie channels more often.  The other night Now Voyager was on.  I LOVE that movie! Claude Rains was a brilliant character actor and Bette Davis was one of the best.

Like always my mind is running in two directions with this train of thought.

Firstly,  I was struck with two scenes in the film that I seem to remember seeing in a newer film, Titanic.  I wonder if James Cameron loved Now Voyager also.  The first time I saw Titanic I thought when Rose gets out of the automobile and the camera pans in on her as she raises her head and you see her face from under a terrific hat, revealing something of her character, that she looked like Charlotte in Now Voyager and it was a neat tribute to that movie. Then when I was watching Now Voyager recently I noticed that Charlotte and the young mate on the ship are making out in an automobile on board! Of course her mother puts the kabosh on that as he is not socially acceptable for a Vale of Boston!  Guess what Jack and Rose have a similar encounter in an automobile on the Titanic.  I fell asleep before the end of the film, but I have to wonder if there are any other similarities.

Secondly,  I began to think about the poem that the Doctor Jaquith gives to Charlotte in the "rest home".  It is Walt Whitman's The Untold Want from Leaves of Grass.   Now I own that book and I love Walt Whitman.   I just haven't thought about it for a long time.  Now I am inspired to take it off the shelf, dust if off, and dive in!  I can hardly wait for the weekend to do just that!  

I also think that might have some deeper meaning for me at this phase of my life!