Bonnie L
This drama, claimed to be melodramatic, is much more. The racial angst and disparity and Hollywood's use of owning a star is revealed brilliantly by the actors portraying the allegory of imbalanced life. I was caught up in the story. What else could be the goal of a movie?
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
09/08/23
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Matthew D
Lana Turner is dreamy and touching as an aspiring actress.
German director Douglas Sirk's romance melodrama Imitation of Life (1959) is a beautiful picture. I think that Sirk's lush Technicolor style with gorgeous sets, costumes, hair, and glamour are all dressing to get American audiences comfortable with his cozy directorial style, so that he can guide them into difficult topics like racism, sexism, passing, poverty, romance, parenting, motherhood, and careers for a truly moving tragedy. Douglas Sirk was a phenomenal director with many brilliant films I've loved like Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind, and Imitation of Life.
It's a sincerely romantic film that has very modern and progressive ideas about women, work, and society. Author Fannie Hurst created a complex story with very modern ladies. I found it empathetic towards women's struggles and perspective in a way that still feels fresh today. Hurst actually deals with race, class, and gender with a consideration towards black people, passing people, poor and working class women. Screenwriters Eleanore Griffin and Allan Scott bring a warmth and understanding to race relations and class divides with a very modern script.
Lana Turner as a lovely white widow Lora Meredith, who takes on Juanita Moore's kind black mother Annie Johnson as her maid. Lana Turner is gorgeous, glamorous, and unaware of her own daughter's feelings. Turner is quite sympathetic when she's getting harassed by sleazy men in the entertainment industry. I thought her motherhood scenes show Lora's care, but inability to really see others. Juanita Moore is fabulous as the nurturing and hard working mother Annie, who basically raises both girls.
John Gavin is excellent as the kind, but often controlling photographer love interest Steve Archer. Sandra Dee is aloof and spoiled as 16 year old Susie. Susan Kohner is chaotic and spiteful as the resentful 18 year old Sarah Jane, who has been passing as white for her entire life out of hatred for her own mother being black. Jo Ann Greer's dubbed singing for her is amazing. Robert Alda is so sinister and creepy as the sleazy agent Allen Loomis. Likewise, Dan O''Herlihy is underhanded and sleazy as playwright David Edwards. Karin Dicker is very frustrating and bitter already as 8 year old Sarah Jane, already trying to pass as white. Terry Burnham is a spoiled little monster as 6 year old Susie. Mahalia Jackson cameos with her powerful vocals as the choir soloist in the end.
Editor Milton Carruth's smooth cuts let all the melodrama play out for an engaging dramatic film. I loved cinematographer Russell Metty's sleek and steady camera movements. Art direction from Alexander Golitzen and Richard H. Riedel make lovely and detailed sets with vibrant colorful furniture and walls from set decorators Russell A. Gausman and Julia Heron. Composers Henry Mancini and Frank Skinner craft a gentle film score with a tender sound. Costume designer Jean Louis's gowns for Lana Turner are to die for with lush pinks, blues, whites and ornate detailing. Makeup artists Del Armstrong, Bud Westmore, Lynn F. Reynolds, and Nick Marcellino ensure each actress' skin tones are reflected, but also sparkle. Hairstyling from Larry Germain, LaVaughn Speer, and Pat Westmore do wonderful curls and flowing tresses for the lavish haircuts on Lana Turner and the other actresses.
In all, Imitation of Life is a slick 125 minutes with plenty to say and much to feel.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/21/23
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Audience Member
The greatest actors for an amazing drama movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
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Audience Member
Douglas Sirk refashions the 1934 black-and-white classic, perking it up not only with colours but also with a meatier story of the two pairs of dysfunctional single mothers and daughters struggling with conflicts and all in the glory of his baroque visual style.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/22/23
Full Review
Kensi B
The times, how they change. What I'm sure was a mind-blowingly racially progressive movie for the time now comes across as rather cringy- the message seeming to be that black people are worth caring about so long as they are unfailingly subservient and take care of your kids and clean your house. My favorite character was the daughter, Sarah Jane, the only one of them who seemed to have any idea how horribly the deck was stacked against her and was determined to take the only way out she could take - "pass" as white.
Interestingly, the part that came across as most progressive these days is that Lana Turner, clearly in her 40s, not only has no plastic surgery or Botox (didn't exist then) but is treated as a sex symbol through the entire movie. The 50s might have been problematic in many ways, but at least it didn't worship little girls and allowed middle-aged women to be desirable.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/01/22
Full Review
Audience Member
There are two stories in the movie: one about an aspiring white actress, Lora, and the other about a black woman, Annie who becomes her maid. Both are widows, have daughters and are looking for a job. Lora aspires to become a star. Annie wants a roof over her head.
The first story is more straightforward. Fame versus love. What do we really want from life? Lora takes her time to make up her mind, and Steve is somewhat unyielding at least at first. Ten years of this back and forth: the movie can get a bit flat.
The second story is more convoluted. It's always unfortunate to see how race was an issue not so long ago. This story is a bit contrived. Annie's daughter who appears white doesn't want to be seen as black. I guess in efforts to perform racial labeling, she was considered black. And the daughter wants to be white. The conflict between the mother and daughter goes beyond race.
Annie was comfortable in her role as maid, whereas her daughter wanted more. As much as Annie's daughter can be rather cruel, her point of view still transpires.
Lora doesn't really get to know Annie as we'd know a friend, but this doesn't seem to come out of racial issues but rather their social standing. Nonetheless, of note, as Lora gets more staff, the staff are all black. Annie has her victory at the very end, in a time when any equality would only be reached after death. The two stories don't mesh very well, but kudos for touching on racial injustice, at a time when that conversation was difficult. The second story is a bit too melancholic, almost with a touch of neo-realism. Or just melodramatic. Annie who could well be Lora's age fall ill and for most part of the movie is either crying or at the verge of doing so. The performances are at times somewhat too theatrical, but overall captivating. John Gavin's I love you is really worth millions. But there's much more than a love story. In fact the second part of the movie is more of Annie than about Lora.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
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