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

Film	Year	Director
Vivre sa vie	1962	Jean-Luc Godard
Europa '51	1952	Roberto Rossellini
Hatari!	1961	Howard Hawks
Un chien andalou	1928	Luis Buñuel
Chibusa yo eien nare	1955	Kinuyo Tanaka
The Godfather	1972	Francis Ford Coppola
La Flor	2018	Mariano Llinás
Imitation of Life	1959	Douglas Sirk
Shoah	1985	Claude Lanzmann
Tongnian Wangshi	1985	Hou Hsiao-Hsien

Ángel Quintana Morraja

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