 On behalf of the American Heart Association, the NBC Theatre presents Director's Guild Assignment, Production, Magnificent Obsession, Director John Stahl, Star Irene Dunn. This is the Screen Director's Guild presentation of the unforgettable Lloyd C. Douglas novel, Magnificent Obsession, starring Irene Dunn in her original role. The motion picture medium is often described as the most magnificent art form ever devised. For it is a combination of all the arts. One of the most critical of these is the new and dynamic art of the Screen Director. For it is he who must integrate and guide the forces which combine to make the film. Therefore, it is with pride that the NBC Theatre presents one of the most celebrated exponents of the Screen Director's Art, the president of the Screen Director's Guild, Mr. George Marshall. Thank you very much. I'm pinch-hitting tonight for John Stahl. John, as you know, directed Magnificent Obsession, another such wonderful film as The Keys of the Kingdom, The Foxes of Harold, and The Walls of Jericho. Magnificent Obsession is one of John's favorite pictures because of the appealingly simple manner in which it translates basic human values into film, telling of hatred turning into love and darkness into light. And speaking for myself, I know that you will enjoy Magnificent Obsession, starring Irene Dunn in her original role as Helen Hudson. I am very calm. The vortex. The very center of the whirlwind is the stillest. There is tense, anxious action all around me, and I am the center of that tense activity. I am calm. All about me are the thin, brittle sounds of instruments being made ready, the whispers of the nurses, the low-efficient voices of my surgeons, and these surgeons. Instruments, voices, the voice of the chief surgeon speaking to me, only faintly dimmed by the anesthetic. How do you feel? Are you all right? Yes, tenderly, and I say, fine. All right. When do we start? We've started. Be a good girl now. I'm always a good girl, but I do wish you could hold my hand. In darkness I await my great moment, the moment that will bring me light or leave me in lifelong darkness. But I am calm. Many things swim through my mind, the music of a small girl's voice. A man was young, so neatly as she dressed, and so sweetly as she was. A wisp of music bittersweet. And then, the sudden nightmare of a time long before Paris, I remember Brightwood, my husband's hospital on the shore of the lake, the deep, smooth, fatal lake, the quiet lake that killed my husband. And in my mind I see again the wild bereft eyes of Joyce Hudson, my husband's daughter, my stepdaughter, Joyce telling me how it all happened. It all comes back. It all comes back. Father had been in surgery all day. I suppose he shouldn't have gone in swimming, but he always did. He had a cramp. We finally brought him up from the bottom. But where was the respirator? The respirator was gone. Gone. It was over at the Merrick Boathouse. That young playboy Bobby Merrick nearly drowned. He was drunk and he nearly drowned. He developed pneumonia and they brought him here. Brought him here? Well, I never want to see him or meet him. Because all my life I shall know that because of him my husband had to die. I shall always hate Bobby Merrick, loathe him, hate him. Helen, you've got to talk to Bobby Merrick. I won't. He won't listen to anyone. He has a fever of 103 and he refuses to stay in bed. There's nothing I can do. Helen, you're the head of this hospital now. You must talk to him. Oh, what have we here? Nice. Mr. Merrick, you've been behaving very badly. Chuck, I can't help it. If I'm the active type, I want to get out. Believe me, I'd be very happy to see you go, but it's our responsibility to take proper care of you. Now, look, you don't have to recite the Hippocratic Oath to me. I had three years of medical school myself. I wasn't bad either. But I was bored, so I quit. I'm not surprised. My husband always said that the mere possession of a medical degree didn't make a doctor. It takes humility, humanity, things that you're too selfish to understand. Now, wait a minute. Are you going to be the next one to tie into me because I happened to be drowning at the same time this Dr. Hudson was drowning? Is it my fault that this whistle-stop hospital had only one respirator? And anyhow, did I ask for it? A lot of people loved and honored Dr. Hudson. Sure. And they're all wondering why I should live and he had to die, huh? Yes. All right. I'm not worth much, but you might as well face it. He's dead, and I'm alive. We both thought a lot. Hey, when do we eat? I'll have a tray up in ten minutes. Oh, thank you. Mrs. Hudson. Mrs. Hudson. With good luck, we may be able to discharge you in a week. Dr. Wayne Hudson's wife? Yes. I didn't know. Now you know. I suppose you hate me. Yes, Mr. Merrick. Yes, I hate you. In the operating room, I feel no pain as the surgeons operate. I feel the dull pressure of their instruments somewhere about my head. The fine surgical lamps blaze for them. But although I'm conscious, I'm in total darkness. And in that darkness, I think back to the events that are having their climax here. Mosquito forceps. Let me remember. More suction, please. We discharged Bobby Merrick from the hospital, and I did not see him again for many weeks. Nor did I wish to see him ever again. What happened then comes from Randolph the stone cutter across from the cemetery where my husband lay buried. One night in a thunderstorm, Randolph was awakened by a pounding at his door. Who should it be but Bobby Merrick drenched, covered with mud, and of course, very, very drunk. What can I do for you, sir? A ladder, sir. Getting out of my car, I fell into a ditch. So now I'm in a ditch and can't get out without a ladder, sir. Come in. Why don't you stay here overnight? And in the morning we'll find a ladder and help you climb out of that ditch. Hey. Hey, what are all those statues around here for? I'm a stone cutter. I make gravestones and such. And so? Who's that one over there? That's a bust of Dr. Wayne Hudson. You may have heard of him. Heard him. He's haunting me. First they saved my life with Dr. Hudson's long machine, and then they take me to Dr. Hudson's hospital. And I meet a beautiful girl. Who is she? Dr. Hudson's wife. Ms. Whittle. Haunting me, that's what. I tell you what, you get some rest and sleep it off. Haunting. I'll make you breakfast in the morning and then we'll get a ladder and look for you. Good morning, Randolph. Oh, come in, Mrs. Hudson. I've finished the bust and I'm ready to mount it on your husband's tombstone any time you say. Oh, thank you, Randolph. That's why I came down this morning. Oh. Mrs. Hudson, Mr. Robert Merrick. We've met. My car stalled last night with a wet carburetor. Randolph here is good enough to put me up overnight. Randolph, I'm ready to go to my husband's grave whenever you're ready. Ready right now. I'll get my coat and my boots. Rather muddy this morning. I'd like a word with you, Mrs. Hudson, when you get back, if you don't mind. I mind very much. Well, then I'd like a word with you, anyhow. Well, it was very kind of you to offer to drive me back to wherever my car happens to be. I meant only to be civil, not kind. I had an interesting talk this morning with Randolph. He thought very highly of Dr. Hudson. Dr. Wayne Hudson inspired everyone he met. He did have a remarkable influence over people, I suppose. My husband understood the one important law of survival. He knew that man could continue to deserve life only so long as he lived to serve others. He believed in the power of unselfishness and in power from unselfishness. Remarkable theory. It's a working living theory. My husband discovered that Randolph had a talent for something better than carving gravestones, but he encouraged him to continue making memorials for the beloved dead. It wasn't art at first, but because it was in the service of plain, stricken, unhappy people, it became great. As my husband knew, it must. That's very interesting. Oh, I know. You, to your worldly kind, there's no value in human sympathy, no virtue in unselfishness. You know you're beautiful. Mr. Merrick, I think you better get out here. Well, I hardly talk to you. There's nothing further to say. I haven't had a fair chance to express myself in the unfortunate incident about your husband. Incident? A thousand people have lost their hope of happiness and even life itself, and you call it an incident. Well, I only meant to try to... Get out of this car. Oh, why don't you melt? Get out. Oh, please. Look at that beautiful scene. Will you leave this car? What a view. It's Arcadian. It's classic. All right, then I'll get out. Here, here, wait. No, let go of my wrist. Oh, listen to me. Let go, I tell you. Let go. Oh, come on back. After all, I will... Look out! Look out for that car! Joyce, tell me. I'll tell you. Well, will she live? She'll live. For the rest of her life, Helen will be blind. Blind? For as long as she lives. First my father, then Helen. Blind. Oh, why do people like you have to go on living? Why? Why? On behalf of the American Heart Association, the NBC Theater is presenting the Screen Directors Guild production of Magnificent Obsession, starring Irene Dunn as Helen Hudson, with Willard Waterman as Robert Merrick. I lie in darkness while the surgeons work about me, trying to turn the darkness into light for me again. I know I'm safe with them, safe and calm, and I think mysteriously of the warm days in the park, feeling the warmth of the sunshine that I could not see, I think of the little girl who used to meet me in the park to help me with my braille lessons, or I was learning to read with my fingertips to live in the darkness. And was young, so neatly as she dressed, and so sweetly as she sung. That doesn't even make sense to me, but it's your turn. My dearest Jenny Wren, if you will but be mine, you shall dine on cherry pie, cherry pie, and drink nice current wine. I'll dress you like a... like a... I'm stuck. Goldfish. Oh, that can't be right, can it? Goldfish? Goldfinch. Oh. It's kind of a bird. Hello there. Hello. Susan, I thought we were alone. Oh, him? He's here every day. Let's read some more. No, I'd rather not today. Tomorrow? Yes, tomorrow. Well, okay. Take care of yourself. All right, I'll be seeing you, Susan. Bye, mister. Yes, so long, dear. I didn't know anyone was near us. Won't you let me help you with your reading? No, I'd be embarrassed learning my ABCs with a grown-up. Before long, you'll be reading the classics in Braille. I have a friend who collects them. I'd like to bring them to you from time to time. Well, thank you, but I'd better learn my mother Goose first. Are you interested in Braille? Yes, very much. You a doctor? I just took my degree. Nice. What's your name? Robert. Oh, Dr. Robert. I'm Helen Hudson. Well, I'd better hurry home. I'll walk home with you. No, it'll be out of your way. No, no, it isn't far. How do you know? Well, I... I've watched you every day. Oh. May I? Well, yes, thank you. Tell me something. Sure, anything. Have you ever been connected with Brightwood Hospital? Brightwood? Why? Your voice just seemed familiar, that's all. Day after day he was there waiting for me, reading to me, as I learned to read with my fingertips. Day after day he walked with me as far as my corner and no further. He never accepted my invitation to come in the house for a moment, never. Then one day it rained furiously and I didn't go out to our bench in the park. He telephoned me and I was glad, for I had great news for him. But again he wouldn't come over until I happened to mention that my stepdaughter, Joyce, was not at home. Then he consented to visit me, only then. I had to come over when you hit it at this mysterious great news. Now what is it? Dr. Robert, I'm going to Paris. Four famous doctors have agreed to consult over my case. I suppose they mean it as a tribute to my husband, don't you? Yes, I daresay. Well, then I won't be seeing you for a while. No, but when I come back, perhaps I'll be seeing you. Perhaps. Oh, Helen. Oh, back so soon, Joyce. It began to rain so hard I just gave up the whole idea for... Oh. Oh, Joyce Hudson, this is Dr. Robert. You heard me speak about him. Oh, yes. Well, I was just about to go, Miss Sir. Let me go to the door with Dr. Robert. Thank you. Wish me luck. I do, from the bottom of my heart, Helen. Thank you. Goodbye. Bon voyage, darling. Ready, Joyce? I'll ride to you, Dr. Robert. Goodbye. Now, what is this Bobby Merrick? Don't use that name outside her door. What's your game, Mr. Merrick? Things have changed, Joyce. I've changed. She hates Robert Merrick with all her soul. But she loves a voice named Dr. Robert. What's going to happen when she opens her eyes and sees you? Perhaps she won't open her eyes. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Joyce. Joyce, I arranged for those specialists in Paris. I did. That's even worse. Helen would rather be blind than oversight to Bobby Merrick. Paris. Paris and hope. Paris and disillusion. Four great doctors looked into my eyes. Examined x-rays, tested, asked questions, gave up. All the next day and into the early evening, I sat at the window of our hotel, hearing the voice of the city, listening to life and laughter in the streets, feeling so much and seeing nothing, and never hoping to see. Yes, come in, please. Joyce? Is there two Joyce? Helen. Oh. I had to come to you, Helen. Dr. Robert, you came all this distance. Oh, give me your hand. Let me see if you're real, if you're really here. You're so glad. Glad? Oh. Dr. Robert, I'm not going to see, but it's quite all right. No, really, I'm happy. I'm almost happier than I've ever been. Isn't it silly? Isn't it silly? No, it isn't silly, and you are going to see. They say no. You're going to see the world, Helen, through my eyes. And we're going to start with Paris. I'm going to show you Paris. And I'm going to show Paris you. Day after day, we saw Paris. Paris from the omnibus, the tower, the cathedral. Paris in the dawn, Paris in the murmuring dusk. Paris laughed and made the sounds of bells and violins. Paris glittered and sparkled and shone, only as it shines for such as walk in darkness with a lover at her side. Then one evening, on the heights of Montmartre, the song of the city came up to us where we sat hand in hand on an ancient stone bench. I sat in darkness, my hand in his, and I was happy. Oh, I'm so happy, darling. So very happy. Helen, could you ever again feel ranker or ill-will for anyone? Anyone at all? Never again for anyone, dearest. I want you to be very sure, Helen. I am sure, Robert. You called me Robert? Yes, darling. You know that? I've known for ever so long that I was Robert Merrick, the man who... who? The man I love. Helen? Oh, Helen, my dearest. Please, Robert, please, don't be humble. We're going to be married, Helen. A blind woman for your life. People would be sorry for you. Oh, no, I couldn't stand that. Helen, I came to bring you home as my wife. I'm going to do what I set out to do. Oh, Robert, darling. I... I... Let me answer you in the morning. All right. In the morning, Helen. Remember. Take me home, Robert. It's like a dream. A beautiful, beautiful dream. In the morning, Joyce and I left Paris. It was the only thing to do. For six long years, I did not see Robert again. I heard that he was abroad working, studying, and then one day I received a note from him. Joyce read it to me, only a few words. Dearest, I am a man possessed and obsessed, but I am not mad only in love. Wait for me. I'm on my way. Robert Merrick, M.D. I feel nothing as I lie on the operating table. Only the sure elation of my love and my trust in the man who works in darkness calling for instruments. Or Robert is with me, a Robert possessed, a Robert inspired, full of the medical wisdom of his years of study and understanding and love. Once he held aside the veil of darkness, and I saw Paris, and he can brush the shadows for my eyes forever if anyone can. For his is the power and the glory of those who live unselfishly, for their fellow men. I can see light. Good. Each day you'll be brighter until one day soon. All the shadows will be washed away. Robert. Darling, you mustn't get excited. All right, Robert. Can I get excited tomorrow? The NBC Theatre has presented the Screen Directors Guild production of Magnificent Obsession starring Irene Dunne. Next week, the NBC Theatre brings you another great motion picture story with its original team of director and star, John Cromwell and Ronald Coleman in the romantic adventure The Prisoner of Zenda. Co-starring with Mr. Coleman will be Miss Benita Hume. Now here again is tonight's star, speaking not as an actress, but as the woman's chairman of the American Heart Association, Irene Dunne. Thank you, thank you very much. As you've been told, tonight's Screen Directors Guild production is presented on behalf of the American Heart Association. Tomorrow marks the beginning of National Heart Week, and a friend of mine has dropped into NBC Theatre to tell you a little about it. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. John Lund. Thank you. Thanks, Irene. Folks, next week, the American Heart Association and the various local heart associations will be asking you for $5 million. But the real goal of the National Heart Week campaign isn't dollars, it's lives. Close to 600,000 lives, which each year are snuffed out by heart disease. That's an awfully large figure, large enough to include you or a member of your family. So when you make your contribution to the Heart Association, you won't just be giving money away. You'll be buying something, research, a program of public education, and the most modern and efficient heart disease treatment to serve your own community. For example, a rheumatic heart disease strikes hardest at our children. To protect the youngsters, the Heart Association is setting up an organization to examine the heart of every child in the land. I know the American Heart is big enough to protect the hearts of its children. Don't let National Heart Week slip by without helping out. Good night. Our thanks to Irene Dunn, John Lund, and screen director George Marshall. Also heard on tonight's program were Willard Waterman as Robert Merrick, Barbara Eiler, Ralph Moody, Dan Riss, and Anne Whitfield. Magnificent obsession was adapted for radio by Milton Geiger, and original music was composed and directed by Henry Russell. Production was under the supervision of Howard Wiley, associate producer Bill Karn. Your announcer has been Frank Barton. Magnificent obsession was presented through the courtesy of Universal International Pictures, now releasing The Fighting of Flynn, starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Helena Carter. Irene Dunn is currently starring in the RKO production I Remember Mama, the picture which is won her nomination for the Academy Award. Listen again next week when the NBC Theatre presents... Screen Directors Guild Assignment, production The Prisoner of Zenda, director John Cromwell, stars Ronald Coleman, Benita Hulme. The Screen Directors Guild program came to you from Hollywood. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.