Magnificent Obsession

1954 108 min ★ 6.9 Drama, Romance

Reckless playboy Bob Merrick crashes his speedboat, requiring emergency attention from the town’s only resuscitator while a local hero, Dr. Phillips, dies waiting for the life-saving device. Merrick then tries to right his wrongs with the doctor’s widow, Helen, falling in love with her in the process.

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Cast

Jane Wyman

Helen Phillips

Rock Hudson

Bob Merrick

Barbara Rush

Joyce Phillips

Agnes Moorehead

Nancy Ashford

Otto Kruger

Edward Randolph

Gregg Palmer

Tom Masterson

Paul Cavanagh

Dr. Henry Giraud

Sara Shane

Valerie Daniels

Richard H. Cutting

Dr. Derwin Dodge

Judy Nugent

Judy

Details

Director

Douglas Sirk

Screenplay

Robert Blees

Tagline

"This was the moment unashamed... when this man and this woman felt the first ecstasy of their Magnificent Obsession"

Status

Released

Original Language

EN

Production

Universal International Pictures

Reviews

J

John Chard

November 25, 2019

★ 7/10

Doc Rock and the playboy redemption. Magnificent Obsession is adapted from a novel by Lloyd C Douglas, and it had been previously filmed back in 1935 with Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor in the leads. Here the piece is directed by melodrama maestro Douglas Sirk and features Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson as the emotionally charged leads. The story revolves around Bob Merrick (Hudson), a playboy who ...

C

CinemaSerf

March 12, 2026

★ 7/10

I felt a bit sorry for poor old “Bob” (Rock Hudson) in this. Sure, he’s an obnoxious and selfish playboy but when he gets involved in an accident that requires the resuscitator he awakens to quite a lot of disdain from those in the hospital. Why? Well it seems that at the same time, a local surgeon got into difficulties of his own and as the machine was busy elsewhere, well he perished. “Bob” is f...