Original artwork, not a still
Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars.
— Now, Voyager • 1942
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Charlotte turns down the whole fairy tale in one sentence: she cannot have Jerry, so she will settle for the stars, and she says it with a smile that stops it being a defeat. It is the film's answer to a thousand weepies about wanting everything, and fans still quote it as the most gracious way a heart has ever said it will take what it can get.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Now, VoyagerShow the scene
The closing scene of Now, Voyager (1942), adapted by Casey Robinson from Olive Higgins Prouty's 1941 novel and directed by Irving Rapper. Charlotte Vale, once a timid spinster crushed by her mother, has been remade by psychiatrist Dr. Jaquith. She has fallen in love with the married architect Jerry Durrance, and has taken in his troubled daughter Tina, who reminds her of herself. Charlotte tells Jerry that she sees Tina as his gift to her and her way of staying close to him. When Jerry asks if she is happy, she answers with this line.
Sources (1)
- Now, Voyager, WikipediaPlot; Source materialReference checked
Context reviewed