Imitation of Life (1959)

Douglas Sirk’s melodrama holds a mirror to the hypocrisies of 1950s America with its pairs of mothers and daughters across class and racial divides.

Douglas Sirk’s final Hollywood feature is a remake of John Stahl’s film of Fannie Hurst’s novel about two single mothers, one white, one black, striving together in a man’s world. It focuses, with typically sharp irony and intelligence, on issues of racial prejudice and inequality. The rags-to-riches dynamic is brilliantly undercut in the film’s later scenes.

“Nobody does melodrama like Sirk does. It’s all in the subtext.” Linda Marric

“The genius of Douglas Sirk is on full display in his critical auscultation of the foundations of America.” Jean-Marc Lalanne

“The greatest tearjerker ever made.“ Odie Henderson

“Few Hollywood films are about as much or deliver their messages so entertainingly. Imitation of Life is the apotheosis of melodrama, but it’s also a guide to life (ie, don’t do what they do) and one of cinema’s most extraordinary portraits of the impacts of racism.” Robin Baker

“A favourite of my grandmother; I grew up watching this film with her. There is so much to touch upon. The relationship between a mother and daughter is challenging regardless of race or social status.” Juliet Romeo

1959 USA
Directed by
Douglas Sirk
Produced by
Ross Hunter
Written by
Eleanore Griffin, Allan Scott
Featuring
Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee
Running time
125 minutes

Ranked in The Greatest Films of All Time poll

Sight and Sound

Who voted for Imitation of Life

Critics

Robin Baker
UK
Tim Bergfelder
UK
Stephen Bourne
UK
Esther Buss
Germany
Luc Chessel
France
Sarah Cleary
UK
Kit Duckworth
USA
Molly Fusco
USA
Luke Gibbons
Ireland
Ed Gonzalez
USA
Lisa Gotto
Austria
Rōgan Graham
UK
Eric Henderson
USA
Odie Henderson
USA
Barrett Hodsdon
Australia
Alan Jones
UK
Olivier Joyard
France
Richard Kuipers
Australia
Jean-Marc Lalanne
France
Jean-Marc Leveratto
France
Linda Marric
UK
Thierry Méranger
France
Sophie Mirouze
France
Varja Močnik
Slovenia
Sophie Monks Kaufman
UK
Andrea Morán
Spain
Ángel Quintana Morraja
Spain
Juliet Romeo
USA
Alistair Ryder
UK
Louis Séguin
France
Jasper Sharp
UK
Steven Shaviro
USA
Samantha Sheppard
USA
Tricia Tuttle
UK
Melanie Williams
UK
Jessica Winter
USA

Directors

Karim Aïnouz
Brazil
Frank Beauvais
France
Fyzal Boulifa
UK
Elegance Bratton
Cheryl Dunye
Mia Hansen-Løve
France
Matthias Müller
Germany