Now, Irving Rapper (2026)

Irving Rapper remains one of Hollywood’s most overlooked figures. He began his career as a “dialogue director” at Warner Bros. in the mid-1930s, eventually becoming the studio’s go-to filmmaker for emotionally charged women's dramas. Rapper became one of Bette Davis’s most trusted creative partners, directing her in her biggest box office hit, *Now, Voyager* (1942). A defiant artist, he racked up more suspensions than nearly anyone at the studio, repeatedly rejecting scripts from executives and holding out for projects that aligned with his personal themes and passions. He was also part of a discreet circle of gay directors forced to hide their identities and protect their private lives from public scandal. In this revealing portrait, Daniel Kremer explores the misunderstood life of a deeply artistic man who channeled his hidden desires into the very fabric of his films.