Read the full synopsis of magnificent obsession, 1954, directed by douglas sirk, with jane wyman, rock hudson, agnes moorehead, at turner classic movies. Hudsons death, helen learns that he secretly embarked on a philosophy his magnificent obsession of helping others without any material return for a better world, which led to him spending all his money on others. It was produced by ross hunter and distributed by universalinternational pictures on january 20, 1956. Stahl, with irene dunne, robert taylor, charles butterworth, at turner classic movies. Douglas spiritual novel magnificent obsession is in its own way as successful as the first filmed in 1935 in glossing over the plot holes and logic gaps in the original novel. Plot spoiled playboy bob merricks rock hudson reckless behaviour causes him to lose control of his speedboat. All that heaven allows was referred to as a womans picture in the film trade press and was specifically marketed towards women. The result further alienates phillips widow, helen, with whom merrick has fallen in love. Nothing is ever one thing in the exterminating angels, and what starts as an improvisational exercise becomes something almost mystical when the secret things that go on beneath the dinner table catch the attention of the. Lloyd cassel douglas, 18771951, was a minister before he was an author. Douglas spiritual novel, rock hudson plays a reckless playboy who is indirectly responsible for the death of a kindly doctor. The two versions of magnificent obsession are available together in a dvd package released by criterion.
Magnificent obsession is a 1954 technicolor drama romantic film directed by douglas sirk starring jane wyman and rock hudson. When helen and bobby do meet, without each knowing who the other is, there is an immediate attraction between the two. Jan 20, 2009 this, highly abstracted, is the plot of magnificent obsession, a 1929 best seller by lloyd c. With jane wyman, rock hudson, agnes moorehead, otto kruger. Magnificent obsession is a film directed by douglas sirk with jane wyman, rock hudson, barbara rush, agnes moorehead, year.
A rich playboy whose recklessness inadvertently causes the death of a. But the screenplay and direction make an asset of this fact, accepting it at face value and saying, so its ridiculous. A rich playboy whose recklessness inadvertently causes the death of a prominent doctor tries to make amends to his widow, and falls for her in the process. Overview of magnificent obsession, 1954, directed by douglas sirk, with jane. Phillips had helped many people, and when merrick learns phillips secret, to give selflessly and in secret, he tries it in a hamhanded way. Oct, 2019 magnificent obsession the 1935 version universals first film adaptation of the lloyd c.
Obsession 1976 plot summary 5 a wealthy new orleans businessman becomes obsessed with a young woman who resembles his wife. Bob is sure that they will now be together forever, but the next morning discovers that helen and nancy have disappeared. This new featurelength documentary focuses on the life, loves, passions, and films of michael reeves, from his childhood dreams, and early excursions to hollywood, to an indepth analysis of all of his major works, and finally the sad circumstances of his early death. Merricks persistence causes another tragedy, and he must remake his life.
Douglas sirks magnificent obsession slant magazine. I detail almost everything that happens in the movie, because, as beautiful as this is it drove me to my wits end. This, highly abstracted, is the plot of magnificent obsession, a 1929 best seller by lloyd c. Due to his philanthropy and his wife helens accident, she jane wyman has very little money. Read the full synopsis of magnificent obsession, 1936, directed by john m. The 1935 and 1954 versions of magnificent obsession. Overview of magnificent obsession, 1936, directed by john m. However, while it does share some elements in common a hitman inadvertently blinds a young singer and sets out to make amends for his. When churlish, spoiled rich man bob merrick foolishly wrecks his speed boat, the rescue team resuscitates him with equipment thats therefore unavailable to aid a local hero, dr. Magnificent obsession 1954 is a drama, romance movie starring jane wyman and rock hudson. Phillips has a heart attack and needs the same machine. The 1935 and 1954 versions of magnificent obsession the. I was a male war bride 1950, ww2, full movie, romance, english free movies in full length duration.
Luther pendragons progressivemetal band, james is the guitarist on the project. Magnificent obsession is a 1954 universalinternational technicolor romantic feature film directed by douglas sirk. New orleans businessman michael courtlands life is shattered when his wife and daughter are tragically killed in a botched kidnap rescue attempt. Stahl, the wonderfully precise cutting especially in. Trailer for douglas sirks 1954 film magnificent obsession, starring rock hudson and jane wyman. For weeks, he searches for her to no avail, and when he returns to america, finds inspiration in eds description of the magnificent obsession that grows from doing good deeds. Bringing together a collection of new and exclusive interviews, including the star of all of the directors films and personal friend ian ogilvy, his childhood friend and scriptwriter tom baker, as well as insights from former girlfriend ingrid cranfield, alongside film historians, and reeves biographer benjamin halligan, the magnificent obsession of michael reeves offers the definitive history of one of british genre cinemas much loved cult figures. True, without sirk and his yummy color production values, this obsession is more of a standard soap opera. We get gloomy vistas down wet italian streets, and characters running toward each other in slow motion, and lowangle shots of tombs, and romantic music breaking suddenly into discordant warnings, and best of all a surprise. So rock hudson plays a spoiled rich man who as luck would have it suffers a lifethreatening accident the same afternoon as the most noble man in town to ever live. Hudson, a physician renowned for his ability to help people, who was having a heart attack at the same time on the other side of the lake.
The screenplay was written by robert blees and wells root, after the 1929 book magnificent obsession by lloyd c. The film press compared it favorably to douglas sirks previous movie, magnificent obsession 1954, which had also starred wyman and hudson. Magnificent obsession is arguably director douglas sirks masterpiece, even though there are many who find it campy or ridiculous. Magnificent obsession 1954 directed by douglas sirk. Magnificent obsession is a 1954 melodrama directed by douglas sirk, starring jane wyman and rock hudson one fine day a wealthy young rich man named bob merrick hudson is taking his boat out for a spin on lake tahoe.
Magnificent obsession film analysis senses of cinema. Synopsis magnificent obsession, 1954, universal, 108 min. Reckless playboy robert merrick rock hudson is in a boat accident, and his condition requires a resuscitator to save his life. Rescuers send for the nearest resuscitator, located in dr. Jul 11, 2009 trailer for douglas sirks 1954 film magnificent obsession, starring rock hudson and jane wyman.
Aug 29, 2019 in short, magnificent obsession is perhaps the first sirk film to call to mind stuart klawanss memorable description of film follies, in the essential book of the same name. Reckless playboy robert merrick is in a boat accident and his condition requires a resuscitator to save his life. Its one wackedout melodrama, but its wildly entertaining. The film was directed by douglas sirk and produced by ross hunter. The dead mans wife, jane wyman, refuses to accept hudsons apologies. The novel includes a tortured and convoluted yet somehow still quite functional plot that i think even thomas hardy would have been pleased to count among his own. The screenplay, based on a novel by ursula parrott, is by bernard c. It isnt even, by the measure of your average sirk enthusiast, his first masterpiece. Plot summary robert merrick is resuscitated by a rescue crew after a boating accident. Bob, jetting across the lake at very high speeds, flips his boat.
Magnificent obsession a 1954 film directed by douglas sirk. Bob merrick hudson seems a hopelessly spoiled, horribly selfish man. Hudsons secret journal a television drama which aired in syndication from 1955 to 1957 78 episodes. Released november 17th, 2002, magnificent obsession stars jane wyman, rock hudson, barbara rush, agnes moorehead the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 48 min, and received a score of out of 100. Douglas novel, starring robert taylor and irene dunne, is presented on disc 2 of this release.
Jan 23, 2009 d ouglas sirks magnificent obsession wasnt the german expatriates first film made in hollywood, his first collaboration with frothy producer ross hunter, or his first dabbling in the genre of melodrama. Feb 11, 2015 this becomes the magnificent obsession in the title. When wyman is blinded, hudson decides to do right by her anonymously. The magnificent obsession of michael reeves 2019 plot. Magnificent obsession 2002 reckless playboy robert merrick rock hudson is in a boat accident, and his condition requires a resuscitator to save his life.
The 1935 magnificent obsession takes all this at face value, moving swiftly from one bizarre plot point to another, with a kind of offkilter conception of the american dream that seems to have been inspired by the residual stresses of the great depression. Douglas spiritual novel magnificent obsession is in its own way as successful as the first filmed in 1935 in glossing over the plot holes and logic gaps in. I wouldnt call magnificent obsession douglas sirks best movie but its still good. Magnificent obsession synopsis favorite theater button overview. Theres always tomorrow is a 1956 american blackandwhite romantic melodrama film directed by douglas sirk starring barbara stanwyck, fred macmurray, and joan bennett. How appropriate then that this books main subject centers around his old boss, the galilean from nazareth. Magnificent obsession 2002 stream and watch online. Jane wyman, rock hudson, barbara rush, agnes moorehead.
Phillips had helped many people, and when merrick learns phillips secret, to give selflessly and in secret. The screenplay was written by robert blees and wells root, after the book magnificent obsession by lloyd c. When churlish, spoiled rich man bob merrick foolishly wrecks his speed boat, the rescue team. Stahl on allmovie a man who has ruined a womans life attempts to. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing magnificent obsession 1935 near you. Indeed, the plot of obsession is ridiculous just as it was in its original version, something of which sirk himself was aware. Hudsons death, helen learns that he secretly embarked on a philosophy his magnificent obsession of helping others without any material return for a better world, which. Magnificent obsession weekend with father synopsis. The douglas book turns out to be an allbutunreadable, protonew age hodgepodge of mystical selfhelp advice. This is cemented when he foolishly wrecks his speed boat in the lake.
The life of spoiled robert merrick robert taylor is saved through the use of a hospitals only pulmotor, but. It was one of four of his books that were eventually made into blockbuster motion pictures, the other three being the robe, white banners and the big fisherman. Some sources suggest john woos the killer 1989 is a further remake of magnificent obsession. The astonishing plot is centered on bob merrick hudson, an arrogant playboy in. Director douglas sirks most outlandish melodrama finds rock hudson as a playboy who blinds a widow jane wyman in a boating accident and consequently becomes a surgeon so he can restore wymans sight.
Marisa tomei, who costars as frankies friend ilene, a moviebusiness hair. Just so you know the most subtle thing in this film is when one character says to another, and believe me, it will be a magnificent obsession. While it cant compare to the gloriously soapy 1954 remake, which benefited from douglas sirks total glossy commitment to the story, the original version of magnificent obsession is not without its rewards. Magnificent obsession 1954 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Overview of magnificent obsession, 1954, directed by douglas sirk, with jane wyman, rock hudson, agnes moorehead, at turner classic movies. Yet while their plots can be summarised in this way, the novel and the two films arent really telling the same story. Magnificent obsession, was his first book written and published after he retired from the pulpit around 1928.