Magnificent Obsession

Two movies 20 years apart based on the same book about a woman who's blinded in a car accident proved pivotal to a pair of future well-known actors. The earliest film involved young Robert Taylor, whose screen presence exponentially increased after his performance in December 1935's "Magnificent Obsession." Adapted from Lloyd Douglas' 1929 weepy novel, Taylor played a spoiled brat who was in love with the stricken woman, but suddenly gains maturity by motivating himself to become a brain surgeon.

Taylor was in his second year in Hollywood, and saw some success in his earlier appearance in "Broadway Melody of 1936." Casting the character of the son from a wealthy family whose love for the bottle was more important than treating people decently was crucial for the John Stahl-directed movie. After several choices were considered to play opposite actress Irene Dunn, Taylor was selected, with positive results.

"Magnificent Obsession" bounces from one tragedy to the next, but contains shining examples of sacrificing oneself for the greater good of human kind. Taylor plays the wisecracking Robert Merrick, whose drunken accident nearly kills him, only to be saved by the local hospital's only ventilator. Trouble is, at the same time Robert was hogging the sole ventilator, the highly esteemed generous philanthropist Dr. Hudson dies because of the same hospital's lack of another ventilator. Dr. Hudson's younger wife, Helen (Dunne), loathes the young man whom she feels is responsible for her husband's death. Robert meets and falls for the widow (in real life Irene was 35 to Taylor's 24). Driving her home, he becomes aggressive in his passion. Helen escapes his clutches by jumping out of the parked car, only to be struck by a passing automobile. "When his character makes the transition from self-absorbed playboy to dedicated doctor and committed philanthropist," describes film reviewer Sean Axmaker, "you can see the guilt and regret in his face and the seriousness in his new demeanor."

The author of 'Magnificent Obsession,' Lloyd Douglas, a former church minister who is also known for his 1942 novel 'The Robe,' adopted the Bible's Gospel of Matthew passage "That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" as a basis for both Dr. Hudson's generosity and Robert Merrick's remarkable turnaround as a Nobel Prize-winning brain surgeon. Merrick's focus on dedicating his life to cure the blind Helen sets up a tearjerker conclusion.

Taylor saw his fortunes in Hollywood increase after "Magnificent Obsession," a film where the actor was a loan-out to Universal Pictures. He began receiving substantial roles from his employer, MGM, after the studio realized what a gem it had in its stable. Ironically, the 1954 remake of the same book also boasted the career of another young actor who had been bouncing around in low budget adventure movies. Rock Hudson was selected for the Merrick role in director Douglas Sirk's "Magnificent Obsession." The film became a huge hit for Universal, catapulting Hudson into the limelight as Hollywood's new romantic star.

I suppose Magnificent Obsession could best be described as a religious soap opera. It's definitely the kind of film that both of its stars, Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor would identify with in real life given their politics which were on the right. Even more so for Irene Dunne who was a prominent Catholic lay person.

It was a best seller in 1929 for newly minted writer Lloyd C. Douglas, a former Methodist minister who had retired from the pulpit and spent the rest of his life writing fictional works with a religious theme.

Irene Dunne was by this time a very big star and Magnificent Obsession entered the pantheon of her big hit films. But for Robert Taylor it was the breakout film of his career, establishing him once and for all as a star player with potent box office.

Taylor was a special favorite of Louis B. Mayer at MGM, it wasn't an accident he established a record for the longest studio contract in film history. Taylor was coming along in his career quite nicely as and had gotten notice in some supporting roles and had even had a lead in Murder in the Fleet. He had also played part of a love triangle as another doctor in Society Doctor with Chester Morris and Virginia Bruce.

I'm betting that it was that this was the film that Carl Laemmle saw at Universal when he asked Mayer for Taylor's service on a loan out. This would have been a win-win situation for MGM. If Taylor clicked they had his services and if he didn't it was Universal's loss.

Anyway it was in this role as the shallow playboy who becomes a noted surgeon that Taylor scored his big hit. His growth in some ways is similar to Tyrone Power's later on in The Razor's Edge. In fact had this been done at 20th Century Fox Power would also have had a big hit. But his breakthrough year was one year away.

Through a combination of unfortunate circumstances a noted doctor, esteemed for his good works dies suddenly of a heart attack. He might have been saved, but a resuscitator was being used on a young Taylor who was involved in a speeding boat accident. He becomes a hated figure with the family and friends of the late doctor, especially his new widow, Irene Dunne.

Later on Taylor while in an inebriated state meets up with Ralph Morgan who lets him spend the night and sober up on his couch. When Taylor awakens, Morgan talks to him about trying to tap into a higher power by doing some good works and it will redound to his favor on earth and in heaven. And the idea is to shun publicity for the same.

Taylor expects some more immediate return on good works, but it he gradually comes to a full realization of what Morgan is talking about. Former minister Lloyd C. Douglas had used as the basis for this philosophy, Matthew Chapter 6, 1-4. The substance of which don't flaunt your good works before humanity openly because then you'll be courting favor with the world. But if you do it with as little fanfare as possible, God will reward you in heaven and on earth.

Robert Taylor was 24 when he made this film and the part called for him to age several years and he succeeds as both the playboy and the mature and spiritual doctor. Magnificent Obsession was remade 19 years later with Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman and proved to be as big a hit with audiences then as in the Thirties.

Robert Taylor made very few films away from MGM until his contract was up after 1958. I suppose his services were Louis B. Mayer's Magnificent Obsession.

The Sirk excellent remake has overshadowed Stahl's version nowadays.That's certainly unfair,because the latter was a pioneer of the melodrama who would peak with "leave her to heaven" ,ten years later.Stahl 's version,in stark black and white is certainly not as palatable as the 1953 movie and its gaudy technicolor.

Randolph's character seems more important in Stahl's version.His theory is certainly moving:You've only got what you give and you should not expect any award.Merrick tries to apply this theory,first because he wants to seduce the wife of the philanthropist/doctor who indirectly died because of him,because he was an alcoholic playboy.He has not really understood what Randolph tried to explain to him.The scene with the hobo comes as a comic relief,which is terribly needed in such a dark yarn.When ,as leaving the poor man,Merrick thinks he's got some divine reward,he's completely mistaken.A Christian movie,"magnificent obsession" sure is,as Randolph,in his second scene ,mentions the Christ. After all,his theory is not that much far from that of James Stewart's guardian angel in "it's a wonderful life".

Unlikelihoods are here there and everywhere,but it's the rules of melodrama.The story ,which includes death,blindness,moral and physical redemption,is not more far-fetched than westerns and thrillers plots.And life is so strange that it can turn sometimes into the most implausible melodrama;and like it or not,not necessarily with a happy end.

Magnificent Obsession - 1935 I've probably watched Universal's 1954 version of Magnificent Obsession 25 times while researching the movies made in the San Bernardino mountains. This is one of those films where there can be no doubt about its location, Lake Arrowhead. But I have always had my doubt about the original 1935 version as ever having been made in the mountains, even though one of the Captain's of the Arrowhead Queen unequivocally stated that he had heard it had been filmed at Lake Arrowhead. In my research over the years, I had never been able to ascertain one way or the other until August, 2000 at the U.C.L.A. Film Archives. The most pleasant surprise is that there is at least one identifiable scene with Lake Arrowhead in the background - including a speedboat cruising across the lake. It is a very brief scene and by far and away, the majority of the film is shot in a studio. Another equally pleasant surprise is a very young (23) Robert Taylor playing a sophisticated playboy (#1) and then an older doctor (#2) and pulling it off believably. His maturity and acting ability are evident from the first frame. Irene Dunne, who was 7 years older, is an accomplished and polished actress with only a few groans to show for her effort. (Her groping blind scenes leave you exasperated.) Comic relief is supplied by an aged Charles Butterworth, as an unlikely suitor to a very young Betty Furness, the step-daughter of Ms. Dunne. This is not the soapy Universal version done later by Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman, but a thoughtful, intelligent script that is closer to the original Lloyd C. Douglas novel, who just happened to be the screenwriter on this version. The print of the 1935 version is very dark and will probably never be shown again in public unless a restoration effort is made. Unfortunately, there are too many films to restore and only so much money available.

This is one of Irene Dunne's better pictures. She once said she enjoyed the character she played, and it is apparent in this movie. In fact, this would be a good movie to watch if you wish to view Irene Dunne's native charm and mystery. She was a wonderful actress and this was a good example of her performance style in a serious role.