I just noticed the resemblances in "The Old Maid" to "Now, Voyager". There is an Aunt Charlotte in both (Bette Davis); a Tina in both; Miss Davis doesn't get married either; is bonded to a child that can never call her mother due to circumstances. Anyways, both stories are great. It does make one realize how much our social values have changed since those times.
- from another fan of Bette Davis. ;-)
I noticed that too right away and don't forget
1- In both movies, the devoted servant is named Dora
2 - There is a sympathetic doctor on hand
3 - The matriarch of the family is an old crab, although Granny is an angel next to Mrs. Vale (whom the "old" Bette in THE OLD MAID looks amazingly like!)
Two major changes in social values since the time Old Maid was set in.
Women having sex outside of marriage and how their out-of-wedlock children are treated.
Charlotte chased Clem down to make out or have sex with him before he went to war. That was pretty bold for a young girl in the mid 1800s. She would be considered "ruined" if the town new about it. The only way her daughter Tina could have a half way decent life is if "no one" knew Charlotte was her mother.
Today, only a small minority of people who would purposely treat Tina badly because of how she was born.
One thing that remains the same is how Clem treated Charlotte. He would suffer no consequences by having sex outside of marriage with a young girl he's not really emotionally attached to. He could skip off to war without concern about how Charlotte's doing or if she's OK. If Charlotte did turn up pregnant, I bet he could've even got out of marrying her if he wanted. Since he got killed, we'll never know.
No two persons ever watch the same movie.share
Two major changes in social values since the time Old Maid was set in.
Women having sex outside of marriage and how their out-of-wedlock children are treated.
Charlotte chased Clem down to make out or have sex with him before he went to war. That was pretty bold for a young girl in the mid 1800s. She would be considered "ruined" if the town new about it. The only way her daughter Tina could have a half way decent life is if "no one" knew Charlotte was her mother.
Today, only a small minority of people who would purposely treat Tina badly because of how she was born.
One thing that remains the same is how Clem treated Charlotte. He would suffer no consequences by having sex outside of marriage with a young girl he's not really emotionally attached to. He could skip off to war without concern about how Charlotte's doing or if she's OK. If Charlotte did turn up pregnant, I bet he could've even got out of marrying the "loose" woman if he wanted. Since he got killed in the war, we'll never know.
No two persons ever watch the same movie.share
I just watched this again and was reminded of the similarities - it's quite possible that Olive Higgins Prouty saw THE OLD MAID while she was writing NOW, VOYAGER which was published in 1941, I believe.
"In my case, self-absorption is completely justified."
I just watched this same story in a film set in the 20th Century.
But can't remember the name or who was in it. Darn.