Magnificent Obsession

Directed by Douglas Sirk, Magnificent Obsession follows millionaire playboy Bob Merrick (Jane Wyman) as he’s forced to become a better person after he inadvertently causes the death of a local woman’s husband – with complications ensuing after Bob finds himself falling for the new widow (Jane Wyman’s Helen Phillips). It’s a fairly outrageous premise that’s employed to predictably melodramatic effect by Sirk, as the filmmaker, working from Robert Blees’ screenplay, delivers a slow-moving narrative that’s alleviated by an ongoing emphasis on admittedly unexpected plot developments (including a character that goes blind!) The strong performances and typically striking visuals remain an ongoing highlight, to be sure, although it’s equally clear that the overlong running time paves the way for a relatively ineffective third act – with the somewhat egregious emphasis on the protagonists’ fake breakup essentially exacerbating the already-underwhelming nature of this stretch. Still, Magnificent Obsession is, by and large, an expectedly engaging piece of work from a director smack-dab in the middle of his comfort zone.

*** out of ****