Magnificent Obsession(RTRI 2020)

A remake of John M. Stahl’s 1935 drama film adaptation of the novel of the same name, Sirk’s signature tragic romance is set in the economically booming America. Rescued in a speedboat accident in a small town, a spoiled playboy inadvertently causes the death of a medical doctor. To make amends he approaches the doctor’s widow, only to bring her even more misery. Filmed in the fashionable Technicolor Process 4, the glorious scenery and the materialistic lifestyle in the 1950s are the backdrop of Sirk’s metaphorical portrayal of impending decadence and death, as seen throughout the film in the latest fashion, race cars, mansions, interiors, and even lighting, reflecting the characters’ firm belief in seizing the day and enjoying life while they can.

Douglas Sirk (1897－1987)
German-born American director Douglas Sirk was best known for his women-centred Hollywood melodramas. The richness of his mise-en-scène portrayed and examined the social pressures of women in the 1950s.