Imitation of Life, 1959 (Grade C+)

Director, Douglas Sirk
Starring: Juanita Moore; Lana Turner, Sandra Dee, Troy Donahue; John Gavin
IMDB Link:  Imitation of Life 1959

sez says--wow--what a change from the 1930s version! This is almost an entirely different movie: still purportedly about racism--and still racist. Again a black woman and a white woman, both with daughters, live together and form a close relationship--but this time not as partners in a pancake business (1930s story)--but as a famous actress and her maid who is also a close friend (1950's story.) In the 1950s version men are much more present at least in the white woman's life. The maid has no men at all in her life.  The white woman has to battle men who want to control her--she succeeds at keeping them at bay, but she is sad as a result--and her daughter (whom she loves more than any man --same both movies) --lambastes her for being ambitious and absent and not a good mother.  In the mean time the black woman (Juanita Moore) happily scoots around the house, cooking up a storm, running baths for the white women. rubbing their feet..etc. The black woman's daughter, a light skinned woman, wants to pass for white (same in both versions) and this brings about all sorts of suffering and shallow conversation about race--and the 'pain' caused by being black.  Lots more could be said about the story--but it really is something people ought to see and talk about so we can all come to an understand of how racism has evolved in our society.  Finally can't close without saying that Lana Turner was not much of an actress, nor was John Gavin.  Juanita Moore ran rings around them out there on the boards.  Grade C+

mjc says:  Sandra Dee is cute; Lana Turner is allowed to be as old as she is; the house in the suburbs is spotless thanks to the crew of black servants, including the purported friend of the "mistress" of the house, who refuses to simply accept the rewards that come with supposedly having helped a friend in need who made it big.