When churlish, spoiled rich man Bob Merrick foolishly wrecks his speed boat, the rescue team resuscitates him with equipment that's therefore unavailable to aid a local hero, Dr. Wayne ...
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Title: Magnificent Obsession (1954)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jane Wyman | ... | ||
| Rock Hudson | ... | ||
| Agnes Moorehead | ... | ||
| Otto Kruger | ... | ||
| Barbara Rush | ... | ||
| Gregg Palmer | ... | ||
| Paul Cavanagh | ... | ||
| Sara Shane | ... | ||
| Richard H. Cutting | ... |
Dr. Dodge
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| Judy Nugent | ... |
Judy
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| Helen Kleeb | ... | ||
 |
Rudolph Anders | ... |
Dr. Fuss
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Fred Nurney | ... |
Dr. Laradetti
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John Mylong | ... |
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| Alexander Campbell | ... |
Dr. Allan
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
When churlish, spoiled rich man Bob Merrick foolishly wrecks his speed boat, the rescue team resuscitates him with equipment that's therefore unavailable to aid a local hero, Dr. Wayne Phillips, who dies as a result. Phillips had helped many people, and when Merrick learns Phillips' secret, to give selflessly and in secret, he tries it in a ham-handed way. The result further alienates Phillips' widow, Helen, with whom Merrick has fallen in love. Merrick's persistence causes another tragedy, and he must remake his life, including going back to medical school, in an attempt to make amends and win her love. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Taglines:
The Great Love Story by the Author of "The Robe" See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
7 August 1954 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Sublime obsesión See more »Filming Locations:
Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA See more »Company Credits
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company contact information
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.00 : 1
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Valerie: Bob! Bob, take it easy!
Dr. Bob Merrick: Easy? Where's that get ya?
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Jeff Chandler turned down the role of Bob Merrick because he thought the story was too "soppy". See more »Goofs
At the accident scene, as the taxicab door closes, it is seen that there is no damage to it. See more »Quotes
Valerie: [first lines]Valerie: Bob! Bob, take it easy!
Dr. Bob Merrick: Easy? Where's that get ya?
See more »
I watched MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION yesterday, for the first time in a few years, as I worked my way through the Douglas Sirk Box Set.
Like all of Sirk's Hollywood movies, there's a lot more going on in the movie than there appears to be. That said, MO is probably the director's most eventful film. Where his other pictures concentrate on the dramatic psychological conflict between characters, this one has loads of life-altering events. Within the first reel, the male lead Bob Merrick is in an accident that takes him to death's door. And the female lead's husband dies of heart attack. A short while later the female lead, Helen Phillips (Jane Wyman) is involved in an accident that robs her of her sight. Ladle on top of this Sirk's sumptuous technicolor design schemes and all this melodrama might have seemed a bit contrived (you think?), it it hadn't been for the philosophical glue that Sirk binds it all together with.
In MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, the doctrine espoused is reminiscent of Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret", and is so important to the story that the film derives its title from the unnamed philosophy that is referred to by its "prophet", Edward Randolph (Otto Krueger), as "a magnificent obsession". Yet Sirk wisely leaves the details in the background. We never really get the full picture of how the philosophy works, but this is how Sirk keeps the whole thing from becoming preachy.
Sirk himself claimed in an interview on BBC TV that he was more interested in the "circle of life" angle ... Dr Phillips dies so that Bob Merrick can live and carry on his good works for him. But whatever the director's intentions, what we ended up with was a superior romantic melodrama with a strong underlying sub-text that says, Give with no thought of receiving and the world will be a better place.
No argument from me ...