Magnificent Obsession (1954)

dir Douglas Sirk

Don’t worry, folks. They do indeed say the title multiple times in this film. Magnificent Obsession, indeed.

Well I’ve been curious about Douglas Sirk ever since I learned that he was one of Lynch’s inspirations. I think it’s important to pay attention to your favorite artists’ favorite artists. Magnificent Obsession was an interesting watch, but I’m not sure if it’s the right movie for me. I think it was just okay. Although today I had a very interesting conversation with someone about how it’s cool to watch stuff without the expectation of liking it, or feeling like the point has to be to like it, or something like that. I guess the point being that you can still get a lot out of watching a film you don’t end up liking all that much. I think that was the case for me here.

Visually I think this was stunning. Very beautiful shots all around, supported by beautiful styling and amazing technicolor. The 1950s were such a fabulous era for accessorizing. Hats, glasses, gloves, the whole shebang. Love that.

What I didn’t absolutely love was the dynamic between Rock Hudson’s Bob Merrick and Jane Wyman’s Helen Phillips. Honestly the whole story was a mess. Not in the way of being poorly written but just in a very nonsensically Hollywood manner. Is any of this actually appropriate? We’re not supposed to give it much thought, of course, because it’s fiction! It’s a romantic drama, after all. This is about being dramatic and romantic, duh. It doesn’t have to be realistic, I guess, but more than anything it leaves me wondering about the psychology and ethics behind falling in love with the man who ruined your life through a series of accidents, only haphazardly patched back together by an attempt I’d personally deem too little, too late. Even if we ignore the obvious carelessness (some accidents are not random acts of chance, but a result of ignorance), would you want to take a chance on a surgeon who is, at best, wildly unlucky?

Despite his best efforts, I just can’t come around on Dr. Bob Merrick. It really doesn’t seem to me like he outgrew his initial habit of paying away his troubles. Is working away your troubles much better when the result is the same: to avoid the emotional toll of sitting with the consequences of your actions? I guess I hold a grudge better than Helen. And perhaps that’s the point of this watch for me. Perhaps I’m meant to interrogate that line of thought within myself and see where it leads me.

Anyways, I think I’d like to give Douglas Sirk, Jane Wyman, and Rock Hudson another chance with All That Heaven Allows (1955) next.