1959 was one of the greatest years in film history. This year saw the release of numerous classics that would radically change the future course of the industry. Ben-Hur was a masterful epic that won a record-breaking eleven awards at the Academy Awards, The invisible third set the standard for the look of a modern action film, Some like it hot demonstrated the comedic genius of Billy WilderAnd Rio Bravo took a different approach to the Western genre by turning it into a “hangout movie.” As famous as these classics were, the drama film Imitation of life was a controversial masterpiece that divided critics and audiences when it was first released.

Although he unfortunately did not receive all the recognition he deserved during his lifetime, Imitation of life director Douglas Sirk was one of the greatest creators of cinematic melodrama. Between the romantic social satire of Great Obsession to the imaginative military themes of A time to love and a time to dieSirk’s influence can be seen in many of today’s most famous filmmakers, including Adriene Lyne And By James L. Brooks. Sirk created several masterpieces during his life, but Imitation of life addressed critical issues such as race, class, gender and wealth, making it far more progressive than most of the classics of old Hollywood.

Imitation of life

An aspiring white actress takes on an African-American widow whose mixed-race daughter desperately wants to be seen as white.

Duration

125 minutes

director

Douglas Sirk

Release date

30 April 1959

Actor

Lana Turner, Juanita Moore, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Susan Kohner, Dan O’Herlihy

What is “Imitation of Life” about?

Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Fannie Burstswhich was already filmed in 1934, Imitation of life revolves around the relationship between two women who make a pact to help each other raise their daughters. Lora Meredith (Lana Turner) dreamed of becoming an actress since she was a child, but is now a young widow who has to spend most of her daily work looking after her little daughter Susie (Terry Burnham). Through a chance encounter on the beach, Lora meets Annie Johnson (Julia Moore), a black woman raising her own daughter Sarah Jane (Karin Dicker). After Sarah Jane and Susie become instant best friends, Lora and Annie decide to move in together so they can pursue their respective careers. An older Susie (Sandra Dee) and Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner) begin to drift apart as they grow older as class and racial issues drive them apart.

The dramatic impact of Imitation of life revolves around Sarah Jane, who grapples with her identitybecause she is biracial, she can pass as white in most social circles. Although Susie and Lora have treated her only kindly since they met, Sarah Jane can’t shake the feeling that she is being granted privileges she will never be able to afford. Because Sarah Jane is a teenager whose emotional intelligence is still developing, she often lashes out in anger when she is confused. After she begins to loathe her mother’s attempts to help her socialize with young black men, Sarah Jane develops self-loathing when it comes to her race. After being rejected by her boyfriend because his friends made jokes about her parentage, Sarah Jane sets out on a journey of her own to leave both her mother and her found family behind.

Why was “Imitation of Life” so controversial?

Like many of Sirk’s films, Imitation of life was initially ignored by critics who claimed the story was “melodramatic” and did not live up to the precedent set by the previous version of the story. One of the main criticisms leveled at the film by pundits at the time was that the film neglected the white character and instead spent more time with the African-American leads; ironically, many modern Hollywood films would be criticized for the opposite reason. Although it would be the last film of Sirk’s career, Imitation of life was ultimately better received, earning Kohner and Moore Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Modern retrospectives have been even kinder, with BBC critics listing it among the 100 greatest American films of all time. The acclaimed director Todd Haynes would quote later Imitation of life as a major influence on his film Far from heaventhe Julianne Moore an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

The initial backlash against Imitation of life is an indication of what happened when a majority of white, male film critics reviewed films aimed at a more diverse audience. Imitation of life The challenges Lora and Susie face are never ignored. In fact, the film devotes a lot of time to portraying Lora’s struggle to be taken seriously as an unmarried woman who wants to become an actress. Still, Sirk makes it clear that the challenges they face are nothing like what Annie and Sarah Jane faced during a time when racial segregation was still mandated by law. Imitation of life has been accused of being a “pain movie” because its final moments are so incredibly depressing, but Sirk’s claim that there was an easy way to deal with these issues would have been completely inappropriate.

“Imitation of Life” changed the representation of the film industry

Imitation of life was influential not only because of its diverse cast, but because it addressed complex questions about racial identity. Many of Hollywood’s other Golden Age productions were rather toothless in their confrontation with racism, giving black actors roles that could just as easily have been written for white actors; the failure to recognize social constructs led to many films that have not aged well. However, the following decade saw the emergence of classics such as Guess who’s coming to dinner in the heat of the night, And A raisin in the sun this helped to achieve a deeper understanding with some of the white critics who did not understand the complexities that Sirk was dealing with. Imitation of life.

Imitation of life is streaming on Prime Video in the US.

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