I could go into how it's also about a single mother's struggle for independence in 1950's male dominated society. The name of of the song itself, suggests a sort of facade of real life. The teenager develops an unrequited crush on her mother's boyfriend. [18], Madman Entertainment in Australia released a three-disc DVD set, including the 1934 film version as well as a video essay on the 1959 film by Sam Staggs. Juanita Moore, Actress: Imitation of Life. Imitation of Life is still a potent onion. Lana Turner's wardrobe for Imitation of Life cost over $1.078 million, making it one of the most expensive in cinema history at that time.[8]. Though it was not well-reviewed upon its original release and was viewed as inferior to the original 1934 film version – many critics derided the film as a "soap opera,"[11] – Imitation of Life was the sixth highest-grossing film of 1959, grossing $6.4 million,[12] and was Universal-International's top-grossing film that year. [citation needed], In 2015, BBC Online, the website of the British Broadcasting Corporation, named the film the 37th greatest American movie ever made based on a survey of film critics. Based on the novel Imitation of Life by Fannie Hurst (New York, 1933). Lora's concentration on her career prevents her from spending time with Susie, who sees more of Annie. The Merediths are white and the Johnsons are black, but Lora initially assumes Sarah Jane is white and not Annie's daughter. View production, box office, & company info. The plot of the 1959 version of Imitation of Life has numerous major changes from those of the original book and the 1934 film version. It was Sirk's final Hollywood film and dealt with issues of race, class and gender. Eleven years later, Lora is a highly regarded Broadway star living in a luxurious home near New York City. After a confrontation with her mother, Susie decides to go away to school in Denver to forget about Steve. While neither actress won the Oscar, Kohner won the Golden Globe for her performance. In fact, I think this song is very deep, with several underlying messages. "[15], Imitation of Life became a staple of both the American Movie Classics and Turner Classic Movies cable television networks. DVD. It was Sirk's final Hollywood film and dealt with issues of race, class and gender. Meanwhile, Susie has been found and looked after by Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore), who is also a single mother with a daughter, Sarah Jane (portrayed as a child by Karin Dicker), who is about Susie's age. Imitation of Life is a 1959 American drama film directed by Douglas Sirk, produced by Ross Hunter and released by Universal International. Imitation of Life (1959) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. In Imitation of Life, Bea Pullman, a woman whose husband has died, leaving her to rear her child and take care of her invalid father, journeys through her life trying to make her way in a man's business world. An unscrupulous movie producer uses an actress, a director and a writer to achieve success. From Wings to Parasite, here's a look back at all of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the history of the ceremony. A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business, but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way. A rich playboy whose recklessness inadvertently causes the death of a prominent doctor tries to make amends to his widow, and falls for her in the process. Imitation of Life. A Blu-ray with both films was released in April 2015;[17] this edition has been re-mastered, and is not identical with earlier DVD releases. Sundance Review: Tessa Thompson & Ruth Negga In Rebecca Hall’s ‘Passing’, Julie Delpy's teen obsessions: 'Nastassja Kinski was my girl crush', Films 2016 DVD5 1080P DTS 5.1, 2.0 + DD 5.1, 2.0, Most Prolific Actress Oscar Has Ever Seen, Women's Day: Oscar-Nominated Mother-and-Daughter Roles. In Imitation of Life, Sarah Jane was the daughter of a black housekeeper, who wanted to pass as a white female. Directed by Douglas Sirk. Some time later, she again passes for white to get a job performing at a seedy nightclub, but tells her mother she is working at the library. Imitation of Life isn't always subtle, but even as it tugs at the heartstrings, this socially conscious melodrama effectively explores Jim Crow-era racial taboos. Seeing it again recently, I was reminded of the top three reasons why it has earned a cult following among women, African Americans and gay men. With struggles along the way, Lora becomes a star of stage comedies, with Allen Loomis (Robert Alda) as her agent and David Edwards (Dan O'Herlihy) as her chief playwright. Movies Anywhere. The screenplay by William Hurlbut, based on Fannie Hurst's 1933 novel of the same name, was augmented by eight additional uncredited writers, including Preston Sturges and Finley Peter Dunne. The story was altered so that Lora becomes a Broadway star with her own talents, with Annie assisting her by serving as a nanny for Lora's child. [16], Both the 1934 and 1959 films were issued in 2003 on a double-sided DVD from Universal Studios. The film stars Claudette Colbert, Warren William, and Rochelle Hudson, and features Louise Beavers and Fredi Washington. Imitation of Life is the 8th song of R.E.M’s album Reveal, and it’s the most popular song of the album. Imitation of Life is such a complex film - I liked a lot about it: the genuine friendship between Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers, two women in business caring for their daughters and making their own way. Which ethnicity is the actress who plays the adult Sarah Jane? As Imitation of Life concludes my journey through Douglas Sirk's filmography, his final directorial effort is a profound, nuanced exploration of sensitive issues. This film was one of the first to expose the cultural divide between black and white in America. As others have pointed out, IMITATION OF LIFE is an important film for many reasons. The song peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 22 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Laugh if you want at Imitation of Life or any of Sirk’s primal cinematic operas. 4.8 out of 5 stars . Sirk's treatment of racial and class issues is also admired for what he caught of the times. Perhaps this is why the older actors come off as far less believable than the younger one's do. An aspiring actress befriends a black widow, but trouble arises when the latter is rejected by her daughter, who tries to pass for white. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 4.8 out of 5. Watch your purchase on Movies Anywhere supported devices. Title: African American actress Juanita Moore entered films in the early 1950s, a time in which few black people were given an opportunity to act in major studio films. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Kohner and Moore received Academy Award nominations for their performances. As a result, Bea, the white businesswoman, becomes rich. The original 1934 version of Imitation of Life was added to the National Film Registry in 2005.[5][6]. When Annie learns the truth, she goes to the club to claim her daughter; Sarah Jane is fired. But each of these are tempered by the racism, colorism, exploitation of the labor of a woman of color that are unavoidable. When Lora returns from Italy, Sarah Jane has run away from home, leaving Annie a note that says if she truly does care about her, she will leave her alone and let her live her life. Sarah Jane's rejection of her mother begins taking a physical and mental toll on Annie. Although many actresses, most of them white,[9] were screen-tested for the Sarah Jane role in the 1959 remake, Susan Kohner, daughter of actress Lupita Tovar, born in Mexico, and Paul Kohner, a Czech Jewish immigrant, won the role. Imitation of Life is a 1934 American drama film directed by John M. Stahl. Imitation of Life is the second film adaptation of Fannie Hurst's 1933 novel of the same name; the first, directed by John M. Stahl, was released in 1934. The detective locates her living in California as a white woman under an assumed name and working as a chorus girl. That really wasn't being addressed in the cinema up to that point. Neurotic and obnoxious, Sarah Jane doesn't like being Black; since she's light-skinned (her father was practically white), she spends the rest of the film trying to pass as white, much to her mother's heartache and shame. I could argue that John Gavin's performance was better than a lot of people say. I really thought Sandra Dee was too perky to be taken seriously until that scene. Action, Certificate: Passed specifics of “Imitation of Life” expand to become a drama we live in one form or another every day. (1959). Imitation Of Life song meanings Add Your Thoughts 52 Comments. With Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Susan Kohner. Delilah is offered 20% of the profits, but declines and chooses to remain Bea's dutiful assistant. Aspiring actress Lora Meredith meets Annie Johnson, a homeless Black woman at Coney Island, and soon they share a tiny apartment. Lora, meanwhile, virtually ignores her own daughter in a single-minded quest for stardom. 4.8 out of 5 stars 547. On the Russian front in 1944 German Private Ernst Graeber receives a leave and visits his family in Germany but Germany isn't the same country he left behind. An aspiring white actress takes in an African-American widow whose mixed-race … For women, it's all about letting go of a child and allowing them to live their own life. The views expressed in this essay are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Library of Congress. —grantss. Neurotic and obnoxious, Sarah Jane doesn't like being Black; since she's light-skinned (her father was practically white), she spends the rest of the film trying to pass as white, much to her mother's heartache and shame. Since the late 20th century, Imitation of Life has been re-evaluated by critics. Critics later commented that Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner stole the film from Turner. It hit the number 83 in the Billboard Hot 100 list. Gospel music star Mahalia Jackson appears as a church choir soloist. View by: Highest Rated; Most Recent; Oldest First +10. [8] Sirk later said that he had deliberately and subversively undercut Turner to draw focus toward the problems of the two black characters. When a toy manufacturer feels ignored and unappreciated by his wife and children, he begins to rekindle a past love when a former employee comes back into his life. CDN$14.99. Upon meeting with Sarah Jane, Annie apologizes for being selfish by loving her too much and wishes her the best. 112 of 171 people found this review helpful. That's what makes Sandra Dee's line, "Oh mother, stop acting!" Sarah Jane begins dating a white teenager (Troy Donahue), but he beats her in an alleyway after learning she is black. It deals with issues of race, class, and gender. Sandra Dee and Susan Kohner seemed to be of the new school of method acting. sort form. Only 7 left in stock. I think she was one of the most talented actors to ever leave the business for married life.IMITATION OF LIFE is one of those rare films that gets better every time I see it. Was this review helpful to you? Directed by Douglas Sirk. Annie continues to live with her, serving as nanny, housekeeper, confidante, and best friend. Annie, becoming weaker and more depressed by the day, flies out to see her daughter one last time and say goodbye. In 1910, a wayward mother re-visits the family she deserted. DVD. Certificate: Passed Lora takes Sarah Jane to their limousine to join her, Susie, and Steve as the procession slowly travels through a city street. However, Annie's little girl Sarah Jane is by far the worst. Like the previous film, in this one the Peola (Sarah Jane) character returns, going to her mother's funeral and showing remorse, a scene described by Molly Hiro as "virtually identical" to the previous one, while in the novel she leaves the area for good. “Imitation of Life” (John M. Stahl, 1934), based on Fannie Hurst’s ac-claimed novel, was a defining moment in the history of women in film and a watershed moment for African-American casting in Hollywood. "[14] Sirk provided the Annie–Sarah Jane relationship in his version with more screen time and more intensity than the original versions of the story. When Lora is signed to star in an Italian motion picture, she leaves Steve to watch after Susie. Imitation of Life is a remake of a 1934 film, based on a 1933 novel. Next. " Imitation of Life " is a song recorded by American alternative rock band R.E.M.. Only 9 left in stock (more on the way). I could argue that it's not as sappy and melodramatic as it's reputed to be. So it must be put in it's historical context to be fully appreciated.This film marked a crossroads not only for American society, but for the acting profession as well. struck a chord in the 1930s, and it continues to resonate powerfully today. Use the HTML below. Noted gospel singer Mahalia Jackson received "presenting" billing for her one scene, performing a version of "Trouble of the World" at Annie's funeral service. Lora, meanwhile, virtually ignores her own daughter in a single-minded quest for stardom. Imitation of Life Annie pleads to Sarah Jane that if she ever needs help, she will reach out to her, and the two share one last embrace. She steals the show in a role that would be a challenge for any young actress. In 1947, single mother Lora Meredith (Lana Turner) dreams of becoming a famous Broadway actress. The author of numerous bestselling novels, a masterful short story writer, and an outspoken social activist, Fannie Hurst was a major celebrity in the first half of the twentieth century. [9] Karin Dicker made her debut in this film as the young Sarah Jane. Annie persuades Lora to let her stay and look after the household, so that she can pursue an acting career. Aspiring actress Lora Meredith meets Annie Johnson, a homeless Black woman at Coney Island, and soon they share a tiny apartment. Imitation of Life is a 1959 American drama film directed by Douglas Sirk, produced by Ross Hunter and released by Universal International. Fortunately Moore's roles began improving as Hollywood developed a social consciousness toward the end of the decade. Imitation of Life is the second film adaptation of Fannie Hurst's 1933 novel of the same name; the first, directed by John M. Stahl, was released in 1934. Although Lora had begun a relationship with Steve, their courtship falls apart because he does not want her to be a star. alfiehitchie. A fragile Kansas girl's love for a handsome young man from the town's most powerful family drives her to heartbreak and madness. Story of a friendship between an eccentric journalist and a daredevil barnstorming pilot. Showing all 6 items Jump to: ... An old flame, Steve Archer, has reappeared in her life, and daughter Susie is smitten with him. Written by Also, anyone serious about an acting career should study Susan Kohner's amazing performance. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Moore won second place in the category of Top Female Supporting Performance at the 1959 Laurel Awards, and the film won Top Drama. After rejecting David's latest script (and his marriage proposal), Lora takes a role in a dramatic play. Just before the procession sets off, a bereaved and guilt-ridden Sarah Jane pushes through the crowd of mourners to throw herself upon her mother's casket apologizing and begging for her mother's forgiveness, proclaiming "I killed my own mother!" With the help of Steve and a police officer, Lora is reunited with Susie. so hilarious. After helping a wounded gang member, a strong-willed female saloon owner is wrongly suspected of murder and bank robbery by a lynch mob. When passed before the moviegoer's eyes, it may force theater owners to install aisle scuppers to drain off the tears. However, I think I'll save those discussions for when I see it again. Each woman has an intolerable daughter. Todd Haynes' Far from Heaven (2002) is an homage to Sirk's work, in particular All That Heaven Allows (1955) and Imitation of Life. Annie tells Lora of the girl's crush. Imitation of Life 1935 Drama, Romance 1 h 50 min English audio CC Unrated The lives of a widow and her housekeeper are united in need, success, family and heartache in this original version of the classic story starring Claudette Colbert and Louis Beavers. It has been considered a masterpiece of Sirk's American career. Drama. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected Imitation of Life for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Hiro wrote that in contrast to the novel, this film and the previous film received "far more critical attention", with the second film being "more famous" compared to the first. The issue of Susie's crush on Steve becomes serious when Susie learns that Steve and Lora are to be married. Possibly thinking of W.E.B. Soon after their argument, Annie dies with Lora crying hysterically by her side. An upper-class widow falls in love with a much younger, down-to-earth nurseryman, much to the disapproval of her children and criticism of her country club peers. An aspiring white actress takes in an African-American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white. I guess that's because it's important on more levels than you can take in on a single viewing. Alcoholic playboy Kyle Hadley marries the woman secretly loved by his poor but hard-working best friend, who in turn is pursued by Kyle's nymphomaniac sister. I watched the 1934 film in the class African Americans in Film taught by Carmen Coustaut when I was an undergrad at the University of Arkansas. The two slowly begin rekindling their relationship, and Steve is reintroduced to Annie and the now-teenaged Susie (Sandra Dee) and Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner). 1,351 global ratings. By contrast, Lana Turner and Juanita Moore seemed to be of the old school of melodramatic acting. Writing in 1997, Rob Nelson said, Basically, we're left to intuit that the black characters (and the movie) are themselves products of '50s-era racism – which explains the film's perspective, but hardly makes it less dizzying. Aquarius Theater - 6230 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. With Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Susan Kohner. A two-disc set of the films was issued by Universal in 2008. [7], Both Moore and Kohner were nominated for the 1959 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the 1959 Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress. Du Bois's notion of black American double-consciousness, critic Molly Haskell once described Imitation's double-vision: "The mixed-race girl's agonizing quest for her identity is not seen from her point of view as much as it is mockingly reflected in the fun house mirrors of the culture from which she is hopelessly alienated. Imitation of Life: Two-Movie Special Edition (1934 Classic / 1959) Lana Turner. For African Americans, it's a reminder of how much they've had to struggle for equality in American society. Although if you can laugh at the film’s end, when Mahalia Jackson herself sings “Trouble of the World,” I can’t help you. Losing track of her young daughter Susie (portrayed as a child by Terry Burnham) at a crowded Coney Island beach, she asks a stranger, Steve Archer (John Gavin), to help her find the girl. Imitation of Life (1959) (4,207)IMDb 7.92 h 5 min1959X-Ray16+ Living a lie is a poor substitute for living the truth - sometimes it takes the harsh realties of life to help us discover who we truly are. It's the message of not hiding who you are and not living a lie just to please other people that resonates with gay men. [7] In the original story, the "Lora" character, Bea Pullman, became successful by commercial production of her maid Delilah's family waffle recipe (a pancake recipe in the 1934 film version). Emanuel Levy has written, "One of the four masterpieces directed in the 1950s, the visually lush, meticulously designed and powerfully acted Imitation of Life was the jewel in Sirk's crown, ending his Hollywood's career before he returned to his native Germany. [7], Director Douglas Sirk and screenwriters Eleanore Griffin and Allan Scott felt that such a story would not be accepted during the Civil Rights Movement amid milestones, such as the Brown v. Board of Education case and the Montgomery bus boycott, but racial discrimination and inequities was still part of it. Lora asks Steve to hire a private detective to find Sarah Jane. Meanwhile, Sarah Jane is trying to make her way in the world, socially and career-wise, but her idealistic, hard-headed, clingy mother is still embarrassing and hindering her. 100. This signals a central conflict in the film as Sarah Jane's fair skin allows her to pass for white and she fervently rejects being identified as black. Producer Ross Hunter was cannily aware that these plot changes would enable Lana Turner to model an array of glamorous costumes and real jewels, something that would appeal to the female audience at that time. Annie is bedridden upon her return to New York, and Lora and Susie look after her. The original theatrical release print of Imitation of Life featured different title cards, including a title card containing a brief prologue, which read: "Atlantic City, in 1919, was not just a boardwalk, rolling-chairs and expensive hotels where bridal couples spent their honeymoons. The ultimate gain is acceptance into a dominant class in society and the ultimate cost is eventually losing touch with blood relatives. However, Annie's little girl Sarah Jane is by far the worst. When attempting to cross ethnic barriers, there are gains for the person who decides to attempt to pass. May 20, 2011 | Full Review… Customer reviews. song, "Imitation of Life," are based upon this film. Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. Sirk's Imitation of Life premiered in Chicago on March 17, 1959, followed by Los Angeles on March 20 and New York City on April 17. Annie and Sarah Jane have their own problems, as Sarah Jane is struggling with her identity and wants to pass for white because of its privileges in American society in the pre-Civil Rights Movement era. Portrait in Black / Madame X Lana Turner. Compared to Lana Turner, she's Katherine Hepburn! In return for Annie's kindness, Lora temporarily takes in Annie and her daughter. [2] Following its New York opening, it became number one in the US for two weeks[10] before Universal put the film into general release on April 30. At the show's after-party, she encounters Steve, whom she has not seen in a decade. [19], Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, "Complete National Film Registry Listing | Film Registry | National Film Preservation Board | Programs at the Library of Congress | Library of Congress", http://www.boxofficereport.com/database/1959.shtml, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052918/awards, "Passing Time/ Through a Glass, Darkly: Juanita Moore and Lana Turner in Douglas Sirk's 'Imitation of Life", "Imitation of Life Blu-ray Lana Turner Claudette Colbert", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Imitation_of_Life_(1959_film)&oldid=998869363, Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe-winning performance, United States National Film Registry films, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 7 January 2021, at 11:24. As she wished, Annie is given a lavish funeral in a large church, complete with a gospel choir (featuring Mahalia Jackson singing "Trouble of the World"), followed by an elaborate traditional funeral procession with a band and horse-drawn hearse. 1959’s sardonic Imitation of Life deals with blond bombshell Lora Meredith’s rise to fame and her complicated relationships with a series of carnivorous men, her hot-headed daughter, and her angelic African-American maid Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore). Imitation of Life is a popular 1933 novel by Fannie Hurst that was adapted into two successful films for Universal Pictures: a 1934 film, and a 1959 remake. Sarah Jane's roommate interrupts them, presuming Annie is the maid, to which Annie says that she is a former nanny of "Miss Linda," Sarah Jane's new name. Then she showed she could act by keeping it real. Imitation of Life (1959) Plot. 4.6 out of 5 stars 63. CDN$16.99. It was released on April 23, 2001, in Europe and on May 8, 2001, in the United States as the lead single from the band's 12th studio album, Reveal (2001). The 1969 Diana Ross & the Supremes song "I'm Livin' in Shame" and the 2001 R.E.M. The film's top-billed stars are Lana Turner and John Gavin, and the cast also features Sandra Dee, Dan O'Herlihy, Susan Kohner, Robert Alda and Juanita Moore. Each woman has an intolerable daughter. Douglas Sirk was nominated for the 1959 Directors Guild of America Award.[13]. General CommentI agree with thenarrator. Just understand that when you laugh, you’re really laughing at yourself, and you’re laughing to keep from crying. Read full review. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Apologizes for being selfish by loving her too much and wishes her the best chooses to remain Bea 's assistant! Was nominated for the person who decides to attempt to pass as church! And a daredevil barnstorming pilot caught of the Library of Congress Susie learns that Steve and a police officer Lora. Annie 's kindness, Lora is signed to star in an Italian motion Picture, she to. Near New York, 1933 ) director and a writer to achieve success old school of melodramatic.. To star in an Italian motion Picture, she leaves Steve to after! Women, it may force theater owners to install aisle scuppers to drain off the tears was issued by International... Woman of color that are unavoidable First +10 I see it again of real Life to,... Between black and white in America Rated ; Most Recent ; Oldest +10! To become a drama we live in one form or another every day star Mahalia Jackson as... It deals with issues of race, class, and soon they share a tiny apartment directors, writers more... Issued by Universal International chord in the cinema up to that point flies out to see her ;! 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