Magnificent Obsession (1954)

Magnificent Obsession
Directed by Douglas Sirk
Written by Robert Blees and Wells Root based on a screenplay by Sarah Y. Mason and Victor Heerman and a novel by Lloyd C. Douglas
1954/USA
Universal International Pictures
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Dr. Bob Merrick: [of a plan to do anonymous good works] Well, if it’s as simple as all that, why, I’ll certainly give it a chance.

Edward Randolph: Now wait, Merrick! Don’t try to use this unless you’re ready for it! You can’t just try this out for a week like a new car, you know! And if you think you can feather your own nest with it, just forget it. Besides, this is dangerous stuff. One of the first men who used it went to the Cross at the age of thirty-three…[/box]

Once you get past all the glorious Technicolor, all that is left is a thoroughly preposterous melodrama.

Spoiled playboy Bob Merrick (Rock Hunter) recklessly loses control of his speedboat and crashes, requiring treatment with the only resuscitator in town.  Because he has selfishly monopolized this item, it is not available for use to revive saintly and beloved Dr. Phillips when he has a heart attack.  Despite a thriving practice, Phillips leaves his widow Helen (Jane Wyman) little money.  It turns out that the doctor has spent most of his income on anonymous good deeds.

Bob tries to apologize to Helen but she wants nothing to do with him.  Finally, she gets hit by a car when fleeing from him and is left blind.

The contrite Bob pledges his life to carrying on the altruistic philosophy of Dr. Phillips and to the study of neurosurgery.  In the meantime, he gets next to Helen in the guise of “Robby”, a humble medical student.  Surely my astute readers can put together a suitably inevitable and sudsy ending without further assistance from me.  With Agnes Moorehead as Dr. Phillips’ nurse and Otto Krueger as of his disciples.

I have a confession to make.  While my records show that I had seen this movie before, I have no recollection of any part of the plot.  This time, as I often do with movies I have seen, I first watched the film with the commentary track on, in this case sparing me much of the treacly dialogue.  When I played the movie again I simply could not stay awake.  Since there is no way I am going to subject myself to Magnificent Obsession again, this will have to suffice as my only review.

This was a remake of a 1935 picture of the same name directed by John Stahl and starring Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor, which I have not seen.

Jane Wyman was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress.

Trailer