In one of the sweetest love stories I’ve seen in quite some time, “Magnificent Obsession (1954),” starring Rock Hudson as Bob Merrick, offers a glimpse into a romance that does not undress or sexualize, but cherishes and self-gives.
The movie begins with the playboy socialite (Hudson) who enjoys speed-boating and treasures the vices of selfishness. While pushing the limits of his speed-boat, he suffers a serious accident. The town–like most small towns in the 50’s–does not have an abundance of respirators but the emergency crew have one that is used in extreme cases. Merrick is brought back to life through the respirator but the emergency crew receive a phone call of another emergency in town. They rush with the respirator to attend to a man who had a stroke, but by the time they arrive it’s too late. The well-known city doctor has died from the stroke, and he could have been saved if Merrick, the narcissist, had not used it.
The contrast is quite clear: Merrick the selfish entrepreneur lives and the selfless doctor dies. Once Merrick discovers that his life was spared, he enters into a phase of self-reflection and introspection where he discovers that the only true obsession is not that of worldly gain, but the magnificent obsession of service to one another.
The story unfolds as Merrick seeks to embrace his new role as philanthropist, but quickly realizes that to serve is to lose everything, perhaps even the one you love. In Merrick’s excellent exchange seeking to unfold this premise, and embrace his new mission as giver and servant and renounce his old pursuits of self-gain, he says:
(Bob Merrick) “Well, if it’s as simple as all that, why, I’ll certainly give it a chance.”
(Reply) “Now wait, Merrick. Don’t try to use this unless you’re ready for it. You can’t just try this out for a week like a new car, you know. And if you think you can feather your own nest with it, just forget it. Besides, this is dangerous stuff. One of the first men who used it went to the Cross at the age of thirty-three –“
That exchange was worth the price of the popcorn! But it also further unearthed the need to think carefully about the Christian faith at its most basic level of service. The ancient Christian hymn sung by Paul came to light in the first century when the Apostle speaking of the Messianic descent to earth sung:
…rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant…
The earthly endeavors of man are defined not by his academic achievements or riches, but by his orientation to serve; it is the pursuit of true obedience. In the service of Another, we breathed again. In the death of Another, we were made alive again.
