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    Imitation of Life

    Reviewed by
    pietroantoni@

    The Fannie Hurst novel becomes a great melodrama in the hands of the remarkable director Douglas Sirk, Imitation of Life becoming the greatest melodrama of the 50's... 1959 to be exact. Actress (Lana Turner) and daughter (Sandra Dee) cohabit with their black housemaid (Juanita Moore who died last year at 99) and her white skinned daughter. Both Juanita and Susan were nominated as Best Supporting Actress for Imitation of Life, not the best scenario to be facing as dual actresses in the same film usually cancel each other out with a vote split. So the Oscar went to a tearful Shelley Winters in The Diary of Anne Frank. Shelley, by the way, donated her Oscar to The Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam.

    IMITATION, produced by the great Ross Hunter, made this an A list picture, sparing no expense in any of the filming departments. What we then get is a movie of visual beauty, but one that will tear out your heart, the tragic elements pretty hard to swallow. I believe that Juanita Moore's performance as a black actor remains one of the greatest in Academy Award History. Frankly, my vote would have gone to her. Her every presence on the screen lights up this great film even more, so graced, gentile and remarkable a performance does she deliver. I really must add that the male lead was the versatile if constant co-star of many, many great female stars of the latter 50's and 60's. Later he branched out more as an independent type leading man. When he left the industry, he became involved in politics, eventually becoming the U. S. representative at The United Nations plus stints as an Ambassador.

    Imitation of Life was a tremendous hit, one of the top moneymakers of 1959. My grand-ma still talks about this film that she loves very dearly. She introduced it to me when I was a boy of 10. Make sure to take a box of tissues with you. You will need it. The near finale and finale of the the 1959 Imitation of Life is so elaborately staged, very beautiful but not tacky. If the ending does not tear out your heart, then you are not human.

    I will admit the conclusion always brings a tear to my eye. SUCH A WONDERFUL, TOUCHING FILM! Too bad they don't make films like this any more. It seems the human factor is missing from most contemporary films!

    9
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    pietroantoni@  2.4.2015 age: 36-49 14,551 reviews

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