Imitation of Life Movie Download

6 / 10

The original film gets ‘Sirk-ized’!
I am loathe to watch remakes of most movies. Unless the original was severely flawed and the original fixes these mistakes (such as in earlier versions of 1941’s “The Maltese Falcon”), I always prefer originals. Because of this, it’s been a very, very long time between seeing the original 1934 version of “Imitation of Life” and this 1959 version. And, now that I’ve seen both I realize my rule of thumb still holds–the 1934 version is better in every way.

In the original film, the main plot involving the success of the two female leads has been changed radically–and I assume much of this is due to the director, Douglas Sirk. Sirk’s films often feature strong woman–strong, sophisticated and classy women. However, the original film featured two women (Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers) striking it rich by opening a chain of pancake houses–and that is VERY much unlike Sirk’s style. Here, in the remake, the two women are NOT full partners in a business–Lana Turner plays a glamorous actress and Juanita Moore plays her maid!! This fits in with Sirk’s view of women (and perhaps black people)–but also makes the later film less of a wonderful statement about racism and human decency. While the subplot involving the daughter who wants to pass as white is thankfully STILL there, why make Moore’s character a maid? And, what’s wrong with making a fortune with a string of restaurants?! Well, in Sirk’s world, you get rich by being a huge actress, not a common restaurant owner!

So am I saying I hated this film? No. Certainly not. The film STILL maintains the sad plot involving the black daughter who would give anything to pass for being white–though it makes the girl’s decision seem more spiteful and makes her a dancer in some seedy night club!! For the 1934 film I’d give it a 9 and see it as a truly heartfelt film. However, the 1959 version just seemed by the numbers, too glossy and muted in its social messages–and a bit silly. It’s also clearly a soap opera instead of the nice drama that the original was. I am generous in giving this one a 6.

By the way, I did marvel at Lana Turner in the film. The idea of her starring in a play by Tennessee Williams or doing comedy seemed strange and against type. Plus, while Turner was still relatively young, she sure didn’t look it and having her say that ‘she’s five years late in starting her stage career’ made me laugh. It looked a lot closer to 20. And, it also seemed utterly ridiculous that EVERY man in the film wanted her!! Give me a break–she looked too overly coiffed and plastic to be seen as a vamp. Toning back all this a bit would have worked much better and more realistic–as well as made the message a lot less applicable to women watching the film in 1959.Read More