Imitation of Life
by Douglas Sirk
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DVD details
Actor: John Gavin, Lana Turner, Robert Alda, Sandra Dee, Susan KohnerDirector: Douglas Sirk
Brand: Universal
Cinematographer: Russell Metty
Editor: Milton Carruth
Producer: Ross Hunter
Writer: Allan Scott
Writer: Eleanore Griffin
Writer: Fannie Hurst
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 125 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-01-07
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Reviews of Imitation of Life
DVD Review: Really good movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This is such a good movie. I bought it for my mom for Mother's Day she would watch it on T.V. when it would come on once a year. Now she can watch it anytime. DVD Review: My wife's favorite movie of all time.
Summary: 5 Stars
I had recorded it on VHS but that wasn't good enough so I bought the DVD for my spouse so she could watch it any time she wished. A good story, well acted and Lana Turner is one of the original "Super Stars".DVD Review: Imitation of Life
Summary: 5 Stars
A fantastic movie from the 50s. Lana Turner is stunning as Laura as is Juanita Moore as Annie. Great cast. A perfect portrayal of the prejudices of the times. Mahalia Jackson gives a brilliant performance in her rendition of 'Troubles of the World'. Definitely don't pass this one by.DVD Review: This is no mere imitation...
Summary: 4 Stars
`Imitation of Life' is quite moving at times despite being `politically incorrect' as some will surely label it. It has held up over the years and remains poignant even in our modern world where race relations are no where near as tense or as controversial as they were in the 50's. With some stellar performances and intricate character detail, `Imitation of Life' is truly an enjoyable film.
The film opens with a beautiful blonde named Lora frantically searching for her daughter on a crowded beach. Her daughter, Susie, has found a playmate in young Sarah Jane. As Lora finds her daughter sharing a snack with Sarah Jane and a strange black woman she is come over with relief. A few candid photos and a subtle, yet desperate, plea later and Lora opens her home to this black woman, Annie, and her daughter Sarah Jane. What unfolds next is a friendship and a bond that forms between these two women and their two daughters as the years trickle by and their life is filled to the brim with drama and tension.
You see, while Annie may be black, her daughter Sarah Jane is as white as can be (looks like her father, or so we are told) and so Sarah becomes determined to live as a white girl, even if it means destroying her family.
The film tells two stories, one focusing on Lora's acting career and her on-again-off-again romance with photographer Steve Archer; the other focusing on Annie's struggle to get a handle on her daughter. Lora also has some daughter issues, as Susie grows up and falls in love with Steve while her mother is away shooting a film. It seems that Lora's career is destroying her relationship with her daughter, as Susie begins to confide in Annie. Sarah Jane, determined to rid herself of any ties to her black mother, has run away from home and continues to pose as a white girl, hoping and praying for a better life.
But the life she gets is not the one she hoped for.
The performances for the most part are all stunning. Lana Turner is beying stunning, and she carries her scenes well enough. The thing is, she is no match for Juanita Moore, who just devours her every line with such authentic realism. It's a shame that the whole `big white star' syndrome was in effect at the time, since in my opinion Moore is much more a lead than Turner, whose story arc is far less precedent or even poignant than that of Moore's. As far as the daughters are concerned, Sandra Dee and Susan Kohner both deliver very good performances. Dee is a little more even than Kohner, but she's less effective. Kohner is very, very good in some scenes (especially the `don't recognize me' scene) but she is uneven in some of her earlier scenes (and that dance scene is painful to watch). Dee is much more consistent, but she doesn't have any powerful scenes to make her truly spark. The male stars take a major backseat in everyway to the female ones, but John Gavin, Robert Alda and Dan O'Herlihy all deliver nicely.
The film may not be as important as it once could have been considered, but it doesn't feel as out of date today as some might think. This is definitely a film to see, especially for Moore's amazing performance. Touching and sincere, this is a film that will break your heart; so consider yourself warned.
DVD Review: Keep a tissue box nearby for this one
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie leads you through two mother/daughter stories:
One deals with an actress and her daughter. The problem in this relationship is the mother carries her acting abilities off-stage as well, with her relationship with her daughter. Instead of expressing genuine, heart-felt emotions, she imitates them as an actress does. Her daughter, however, wants to see the real her and is frustrated by this emotional wall her mom has erected.
There's a great scene when the mother and daugher are arguing and the mother begins to cry...the daughter accuses her of fake crying...and she is.
In my opinion though, the most compelling story deals with the actress's maid and the maid's daughter. The maid is black and her daughter is half black, half white...however, since her skin color is very light and her hair has a smooth texture, she can easily be mistaken for someone who's 100% white.
The daughter, seeing how white people are treated more favorably than black people, decides to imitate the life of a 100% white person. In order to do that, though, she must disown her mother...which is extremely heart-breaking to watch.
This movie takes a very compelling look at racism and self-hatred...and the ending is so powerful, the acting so heart-felt, that I burst into tears every time. If you decide to buy this movie, I advise you keep a tissue box nearby for this one.
Description of Imitation of Life
Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 08/22/2006 Run time: 125 minutes Rating: NrGeneral DVDs
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