IMITATION OF LIFE
US,1958, 125 minutes, Colour.
Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Robert Alda, Susan Kohner, Dan O’ Herlihy, Juanita Moore, Troy Donahue.
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Imitation of Life is based on a novel by Fannie Hurst. It was filmed in 1934 with Claudette Colbert by John M. Stahl. She also wrote the novel Back Street and the story, Humoresque, both of which were filmed. Back Street was also directed by John M. Stahl with Irene Dunne in the 1940s and by Robert Stevenson with Margaret Sullavan in 1941. It was filmed with Susan Hayward in 1961.
The film has been updated and restyled for Lana Turner, especially at the end of the 1950s after her heyday at MGM. This was the period in which she made Peyton Place, Portrait in Black.
She was to continue in this kind of role until the mid-60s, with Madame X. A number of young actors were at the beginning of their careers, John Gavin and Sandra Dee. There are veterans like Robert Alda and Dan O’Herlihy?.
The film focuses on characters played by Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner. They were both nominated as best supporting actress for Golden Globes as well as Oscars, Susan Kohner winning the Golden Globe. (She retired from film and television in 1964, married John Weitz and is the mother of Chris and Paul Weitz, the makers of such films as American Pie, About a Boy, American Dreamz.)
While the film is soap opera, it has something to say about relationships and about racism in the 1950s. Lana Turner portrays an actress down on her luck with a young daughter in the 1940s. She befriends a black woman, also with a daughter and down on her luck, and employs her as a maid. Their stories parallel each other until the 1950s – when the daughter of the black woman wants to pass as white, indicating some of the difficulties for African Americans of light skin in the 1950s.
The film was directed by Douglas Sirk, a German director who went to the Netherlands in the late 1930s and finally arrived in Hollywood, beginning a career there in 1943. The 1950s were his decade with some small-budget films at first with Universal Studios then a series of very colourful melodramas which now have a cult status. They include Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows and Written on the Wind. Imitation of Life was his last feature film (although he made three short films in Germany during the late 1970s).
1. How enjoyable a melodrama? Audience interest in the human questions, the social and racial questions?
2. The film as having the ingredients of the perennial soap opera? the film's lush style, its treatment of its issues in shallowness or depth? How do melodramas of this nature embody traditional ideas of good and evil, appearances and reality, the triumph of right over wrong? How valuable an ingredient of popular entertainment? Audience emotional response to this kind of soap opera?
3. The importance of colour, American and continental locations, the world of the theatre, the change from poverty to wealth, the musical backgrounds, the use of jazz accompaniments, the title song and lyrics as indication of the tone?
4. The significance of the title, indication of themes?
5. Audience response to the emotional entanglements, as presented realistically, or in novelettish style?
6. How valuable was the exploration of the race theme? The setting, the situation for the two girls growing up, Laura, and her attitude towards racial questions? How convincing were the two girls and the black girl trying to pass for white? The repercussions, especially when she was suffering, beaten about, repentant at the funeral? Can audiences understand the real issues of race, emotional entanglements by seeing characters like this?
7. The film's focus on Laura, as portrayed by Lana Turner with her style? Being presented with her as a widow, a mother, in poverty? Her relationship with Susie and the way she was bringing her up? A conventional background, if poor? Her dedication to the world of theatre, the growing number of hits and successes? Her drifting away from her daughter into the world of her career? The transition from poverty to wealth and the way this was presented visually, in relationship to the family, the passing of the years? What had happened to Laura?
8. The worldly atmosphere in which Laura achieved her success? The importance of David, his writing of plays which were successes for her? The importance of the comparison with Annie and her bringing up the two girls? Annie as a contrast and a critique of Laura and relationships? The important issues of Susie growing up and Laura's distance from her, the entry of Steve and Susie's falling in love with Steve? The impact for Laura and her inability to make decisions for others? Her sacrificing love for her career? The issue of the Italian film and the repercussions on all of them? Why could Laura not see what was happening around her?
9. The characterisation of Annie? A genuine portrayal of a black mammy or a Hollywood conventional mammy? Her love for her daughter, her love for Laura and Susie? Her sharing the change from poverty to wealth? Her acting as a conscience for Laura? the comparison of the two mothers with their daughters? The fact that Sarah Jane did not turn out well? Her ambitions to pass for white and her mother's reaction? Her grief at her death? How moving was this portrayal of Annie?
10. The atmosphere of rebellion in the two girls? Susie and her falling in love with Steve and her conflict with her mother? Sarah Jane and her wanting to pass for white? Her rebelliousness, sense of inferiority? A driven kind of person, her moving away from home, her dancing, her being brutalised, her defying everyone? What had she achieved? Was her change of heart at the funeral convincing or not?
11. The presentation of Steve as the romantic hero? The particular qualities of his character? As a catalyst for the emotional entanglements?
11. How well did the film build up its emotional confrontations, the overtones of melodrama, especially with Sarah Jane?
12. How moving was the funeral and the resolution of the problems? How well did it sum up the values that were presented and explored?
