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Magnificent Obsession
Magnificent Obsession
	Film poster by Reynold Brown
Directed by	Douglas Sirk
Written by	Robert Blees
Screenplay by	Wells Root; Sarah Y. Mason; Victor Heerman; Finley Peter Dunne
Based on	Magnificent Obsession; 1929 novel; by Lloyd C. Douglas
Produced by	Ross Hunter
Starring	Jane Wyman; Rock Hudson; Barbara Rush; Agnes Moorehead; Otto Kruger
Cinematography	Russell Metty
Edited by	Milton Carruth
Music by	Frank Skinner
Color process	Technicolor
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	August 2, 1954 (U.S.);
Running time	108 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$5.2 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)

Magnificent Obsession is a 1954 American melodrama film directed by Douglas Sirk starring Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson. It is a remake of the 1935 film by the same name, starring Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor. Both are based on the 1929 novel Magnificent Obsession by Lloyd C. Douglas.

Sirk sometimes claimed that the story was based distantly on the Greek legend of Alcestis.^[2]

Plot

In 1948, spoiled playboy Bob Merrick behaves recklessly and loses control of his speedboat, crashing it and becoming injured. Rescuers send for the nearest resuscitator, located in Dr. Phillips's house across the lake. While the resuscitator is being used to save Merrick, Phillips suffers a heart attack and dies. Merrick ends up a patient at Phillips's clinic, where the staff members resent that Merrick caused Phillips's death, however inadvertently.

Helen Phillips, Dr. Phillips's widow, receives a flood of calls, letters, and visitors all offering to pay back loans that Dr. Phillips refused to accept repayment of during his life. Many claimed he refused by saying "it was already used up." Edward Randolph, a famous artist and Dr. Phillips's close friend, explains to Helen what that phrase means. This helps her to understand why her husband left little money, even though he had a very successful practice.

Merrick, who had once been a medical student but abandoned his studies, discovers why everyone dislikes him. He runs from the clinic, collapses in front of Helen's car, and ends up back at the hospital, where she learns his connection to her husband's death.

After his discharge, Merrick gets drunk at a party before he drives away. He runs off the road and ends up at the home of Edward Randolph, who explains the secret belief that powered his own art and Dr. Phillips's success. Merrick decides to try this new philosophy. While trying to make up to Helen, she steps into the path of a car to evade him. She is left blind as a result of the accident.

Merrick soberly commits to becoming a doctor, trying to fulfill Dr. Phillips's legacy. He also has fallen in love with Helen. He helps her adjust to her blindness under the guise of being Robby, a poor medical student.

Merrick secretly arranges for Helen to travel to Europe and consult with the best eye surgeons in the world. After extensive tests, these surgeons tell Helen there is no hope for recovery. Soon after this, Robby shows up at her hotel to provide emotional support and discovers that Helen has already guessed his real identity. Merrick asks Helen to marry him. Later that night, Helen realizes she will be a burden to him and runs away.

Many years pass, and Merrick is now a dedicated and successful brain surgeon who secretly continues his philanthropic acts and searches for Helen. One evening, Randolph arrives with news that Helen is very sick, possibly dying, in a small Southwest hospital. Merrick arrives to find that Helen needs complex brain surgery to save her life and performs this operation. After a long night waiting for the results, Helen awakens, discovers that she can see, and reunites with Merrick.

Cast

Jane Wyman as Helen Phillips
Rock Hudson as Bob Merrick
Barbara Rush as Joyce Phillips
Agnes Moorehead as Nancy Ashford
Otto Kruger as Randolph
Gregg Palmer as Tom Masterson
Paul Cavanagh as Dr. Giraud
Sara Shane as Valerie
Richard H. Cutting as Dr. Dodge
Judy Nugent as Judy
Helen Kleeb as Mrs. Eden
Rudolph Anders as Dr. Fuss
Fred Nurney as Dr. Laradetti
John Mylong as Dr. Hofer
Jack Kelly as First Mechanic (uncredited)
Alexander Campbell as Dr. Allan
Mae Clarke as Mrs. Miller
Harvey Grant as Chris
Joseph Mell as Dan

Production

Sirk began production on Magnificent Obsession, his previous production, Taza, Son of Cochise having wrapped up the month before.

Taza, a 3-D western, also starred Rock Hudson, and it was the second time the two had worked together (the first time being 1952's Has Anybody Seen My Gal?). Hudson had previously played leading parts in Universal B-movies, usually directed by Joseph Pevney or Frederick De Cordova.

The screenplay was written by Robert Blees and Wells Root, The film was produced by Ross Hunter.

Pre-production scouting for locations began on August 26, 1953 by director Douglas Sirk, Director of Photography Russell Metty, and Unit Manager Edward K. Dodds. Rehearsals began on September 8.^[3] Second-unit footage of locations at Lake Tahoe began filming on September 14. An Unlimited Hydroplane speedboat, "Hurricane IV", was secured for the second unit footage of Hudson's boat.^[4] It was shot on Lake Arrowhead and was piloted by racer Bill Cantrell.

Charles Bickford was originally cast in the role of Randolph, but was withdrawn from the cast on September 15. Sirk and Wyman were ill, and Rock Hudson injured, so filming of Magnificent Obsession was delayed longer than Bickford had anticipated. Although the studio and Bickford had come to an oral agreement and trade announcements mentioned Bickford in the role, Bickford had at the same time made an agreement with Warner Bros. for another picture and walked out on the Magnificent Obsession when shooting began on the 1954 version of A Star is Born, in which he played studio head, Oliver Niles.^[5] Bickford was replaced by free-lance character actor Otto Kruger.

While second-unit footage wrapped at Lake Tahoe, screen tests of Barbara Rush, Rock Hudson, Agnes Moorehead, Jane Wyman, Gigi Perreau, Donna Corcoran, and Sheila James took place on Stage 8 in Universal City on September 16 and 17. Director Sirk was ill, and utility director Joseph Pevney filled in.^[6]^[7] The next day, Corcoran, Hudson and Judy Nugent were tested by Pevney. Test shots were taken in Lake Arrowhead with the new Cinemascope anamorphic lens process, an early consideration.^[8] The production started in a flat widescreen process at an aspect ratio of 2:1, at that time Universal's standard ratio.

Production began on September 21 at Lake Arrowhead with Sirk back in the director's seat.^[9]

Frank Skinner composed the score for this film, the theme of which inspired a song of the same title with lyrics by Frederick Herbert. The Four Lads recorded the song with the Percy Faith orchestra. Victor Young also recorded an instrumental version of the song which featured a viola solo by Anatole Kaminsky. However, much of the score is Skinner's arrangements of works by Chopin (Nocturne No. 7 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 1 and Étude in E major, Op. 10, No. 3 "Tristesse"), Beethoven ("Ode to Joy" theme from 9th Symphony), and Johann Strauss II (Wiener Blut).^[10]

Release

The film opened at Loew's State Theatre in New York City on August 4, 1954. Audiences were greeted by co-star Agnes Moorehead in the lobby.

The film was generally not well received critically but did well at the box office.^[11] Howard Thompson in The New York Times of August 5, 1954 wrote "[The film] is unquestionably a handsome one. Better still, generally restrained performances at least dignify a moist text, which may seem inspiration to some, pure corn to others."^[12]

Jane Wyman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 25 critics reviewed the film positively with an average rating of 7.4/10, earning it a score of "Fresh".^[13]

References

^ "All Time Domestic Champs", Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34
^ Cristalli, Paola. "The Magnificent Obsession". Il Cinema Ritrovato. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
^ Universal Studios Daily Minutes, August 25, 1953
^ Universal Studios Daily Minutes, September 14, 1953
^ Universal Studios Daily Minutes, September 16, 1953
^ Universal Studios Daily Minutes, September 17, 1953
^ Universal Studios Daily Minutes, September 18, 1953
^ Universal Studios Daily Minutes, September 21, 1953
^ Universal Studios Daily Minutes, September 22, 1953
^ soundtrack.net. Retrieved 28 April 2018
^ Arneel, Gene (August 10, 1960). "New Hard Look at Film Critics And Their Relationship To B.O." Variety. p. 3. Retrieved February 9, 2021 – via Archive.org.
^ Thompson, Howard (August 5, 1954). "Remade 'Magnificent Obsession' Opens". The New York Times. p. 18.
^ "Magnificent Obsession". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 2, 2023.