Rent imitation of life 1934 starring claudette colbert and warren william on dvd and bluray. Nov 17, 2018 imitation of life does throw up several questions around the matter of race, none of which i could answer for sure, even for myself. This essay considers prominent films, including imitation of life 1934, 1959 and lost boundaries 1949, that examine the topic of passing. With claudette colbert, warren william, rochelle hudson, ned sparks. Imitation of life was nominated for an academy award for best picture, but it did not win. Imitation of life 1934 was a wellmounted adaptation of hursts drama about racism and single parenthood, as told through the friendship of two womenone white claudette colbert, the other african american louise beavers. Imitation of life 1934 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. May 28, 2012 imitation of life 1934 anthonyplatinumice. One of their rules included preventing any form of miscegenation being depicted. The main issue in both this film and the remake in the black story is the lightskinned daughters desire to. May 07, 2014 film class wednesdays winds down with the last three movies of the semester.
Imitation of life is the demonstration of the sad reality that the book is not always better than the movie. However, for every leap forward in asserting a positive relationship between a white woman and a black woman, there are two massive steps backward. Colbert is a widow with a baby daughter who hires beavers, who also has a daughter, as a housekeeper. Traditional cristism on imitation of life the movie imitation of life was released on april 15, 1959. From the elegant title sequence couldve been for an early bond or an audrey hepburn vehicle to the glorious funeral procession at the end which was remarkably grand given that annie was just a maid. However, i argue that in its focus on passing, hollywood made an empty gesture. Fredi washington peola, aged 19 was a lightskinned africanamerican. I think the whole film try to express a new idea to the audience, black people are equal with the white people, they can work together, live together, and even they can open a business and corporate successful. I do, do wish fredi washingtons role had been bigger, the dilemma peola faces examined more deeply, shown more from her point of view. It was also named by time in 2007 as one of the 25 most important films on race. Fannie hurst novel tells the story of widowed beatrice pullman colbert who uses maid delilahs beaver recipe for pancakes in order to have the women open a restaurant, which becomes a success. Its the movie plenty of black families reference when they speak about the original tearjerkers. When you think about it, its amazing that a movie that.
And you have a movie that showed very sensitive racial subject. Delilahs lightskinned daughter peola washington breaks away from her mother so she can. Stahl, with claudette colbert, warren william, rochelle hudson, at turner classic movies. Imitation of life is without question one of my alltime favorite movies. An interesting melodrama in how it treats race relations and women. The 1934 version won academy award nominations for best picture and best sound while the 1959 version garnered best supporting actress oscar nominations for juanita moore and susan kohner. The africanamerican characters are given personalities and are important to the plot, which was so uncommon for the time. Fredi washington was a pioneering africanamerican actress whose fair skin and green eyes often were impediments to her showing her extraordinary acting skills. Social problem films dealing with race were of en viewed as progressive and thought to tackle the issue of racism. This glamorized remake of the 1934 film imitation of life bears only a passing resemblance to its source, the bestselling novel by fannie hurst. This particular dvd edition includes the 1959 version, which was a treat as i had not seen it. The 1959 version seemed more sanitized to me as per wikipedia the plot of the 1959 version of imitation of life was significantly altered from the original book and the 1934 film version.
Bea pullman and her daughter jessie have had a hard time making ends meet since beas husband died. The movie was originally made in 1934 with a remake in 1959. Imitation of life was first and book and was later turned into a film. Artistic license, and it suits the splendor of the movie. Fannie hursts novel, imitation of life, was adapted to film in 1934 and 1959. Style and the domestic melodrama, an article originally published in jump cut, no. Rent imitation of life 1934 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Secrets behind the making of imitation of life madamenoire. Stahl, 1934, based on fannie hursts acclaimed novel, was a defining moment in the history of women in film and a watershed moment for africanamerican casting in hollywood. Although the two films share the similarities of these issues both films present them in two different ways, the difference can be attributed to their respective time periods. This is a classic in that its one of the first times any medium tackled the issue of.
This has long been one of my favorite old universal films, and i reference it a lot in my videos. Stahls 1934 imitation of life with douglas sirks betterknown version from 1959, an examination of savage inequities. A song from the movie imitation of life imitation of life is a 1959 american romantic drama film directed by douglas sirk, produced by ross hunter and released by universal international. Both mothers suffer at the hands of their willfull teenaged daughters. But what makes imitation of life so interesting is the subversive and ironic touches that sirk includes. Then, soon there was this black actress ringing at the door. Imitation of life 1934 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. By being introduced to the claudette colbert 1934 version, i am now a fannie hurst fan. Imitation of life 2movie collection comes to bluray. Claudette colbert was the epitomy of grace and style throughout the movie and i love watching her movies to this day. Part 1 racism being not from the us, this blackwhite racism strikes me every time.
Washingtons dusky gorgeousness in imitation of life must have scared hollywood bosses even as it tempted them. In the novel and the first film version of imitation of life peolas father is described as light enough to be taken as white or something like that. I was most familiar with the lana turner 1959 version. Tcm moms in the movies 1of4 imitation of life intro by sonofaspaceape. Imitation of life is a 1934 american drama film directed by john m. Hurst received a lot of critism from the public on. Imitation of life 1934 commentary general discussions. This weeks film is 1934s imitation of life, a landmark picture for its friendlyish view of africanamericans.
After playing this role, she was criticized by some in the black community who labored under the misconception that the actress herself practiced selfhatred and would rather pass herself off as white. Mar 15, 2017 i know why the caged bird sings 1979 diahann carroll constance good maya angelou duration. Passing, a commonly used term especially in the african american community, occurs when a member of one racial category assumes the ethnicity of another alkon, 2012. Imitation of life 1934 was my favorite movie because of the moral of the story and how it tackled the racial issues of the day. Choosing this movie i thought claudette colbert another very funny and romantic movie. Imitation of life is a 1959 american drama film directed by douglas sirk, produced by ross hunter and released by universal international. This is a fascinating and unique trailer to the classic social drama imitation of life 1934, one of the first major films to tackle race issues because it was clearly made for africanamerican movie houses and centers on the acclaim for the performances of black actresses louise beavers and fredi washington.
Imitation of life was made in 1934, which means that the hays code, a set of moral policy and guidelines filmmakers were obligated to follow before releasing their work to the public, was still in effect. Imitation of life was originally a popular but unremarkable romantic potboiler novel by fannie hurst. Imitation of life general discussions tcm message boards. The ending of the 1934 universal film imitation of life occupies an important. Imitation of life is a deeply interesting movie, but only if you go in knowing that its not something you just watch. Its something you have to absorb to fully understand, to mentally push back the clock and see the ways things have changed and how they havent. Its not, of course its about motherhood and love, but the fact that were watching parallel stories between a white woman and a. Jun 17, 2019 my newest video is on imitation of life. Reflecting on the film imitation of life during womens. For me it really hurts seeing what became of peola and this is the movies intention and it is just because the characters are developed the way they are. Like most of hursts novels, imitation of life became a popular screen success as well in both of its versions. She returned to new york, where she cofounded the negro actors guild of america and was a casting consultant on the 50s two big black musicals. Jul 06, 2017 english, 2016, movie, full, 2017 movie trailers, action movies,\r\r\r\rsubscribe to trailers. Jan 11, 2016 a song from the movie imitation of life imitation of life is a 1959 american romantic drama film directed by douglas sirk, produced by ross hunter and released by universal international.
Imitation of life is an interracial film between a black woman delilah and white woman bea. Imitation of life does throw up several questions around the matter of race, none of which i could answer for sure, even for myself. Imitation of life was released 53 years ago today, on april 17th, 1959 and below, youll find five pieces of information that even the biggest sirk fans might not be aware of. Years later, in 2007, time magazine ranked it as among the 25 most important films on race. The first of two film version of fannie hursts novel, 1934 s imitation of life chronicles the friendship between two womenone white claudette colbert, one black louise beavers.
The screenplay by william hurlbut, based on fannie hursts 1933 novel of the same name, was augmented by eight additional uncredited writers, including preston sturges and finley peter dunne. In the original story, the lora character, bea pullman, became famous with the help of her maid delilahs family. If you are a fan of old movies, imitation of life delivers the main course. A presentation of such a movie, in 1934, was for its time quite a risk, but fortunately it didnt go unnoticed. It certainly touched on some pretty deep topics, but it does very little with them not that it couldve done more in 1934. The scene is symbolic as it reflects the societal attitude and prejudice against black american in the 1950s.
But success doesnt save them from sorrow with the passing. While its narrative reveals how problematic the representation and depiction of people of color was in 1934, this film. Beside race, imitation of life covers other issues such as family relationship, gender roles, and romance. Are there hollywood movies in the 30s that depict race and raciest views in a bad light. I know why the caged bird sings 1979 diahann carroll constance good maya angelou duration. In the two films imitation of life the 1934 version and the 1959 version, motherhood is a topic. Director jm stahl first made it into a film in 1934 and by the time sirk brought it to the screen for the second time, the story had been. The screenplay by william hurlbut, based on fannie hursts 1933 novel of the same name, was. Read the full synopsis of imitation of life, 1934, directed by john m. Oh, it would have been good to see a strong independent black leading character in a 1930ies colbert movie but this is not the topic here. Incidentally, i saw a movie version of five and ten 1931 based on the novel by fannie hurst. I didnt know she was colored class scene by richard77mecca. She got fourth billing in a 1937 fox film, one mile from heaven, but that was it. Apr 17, 2012 imitation of life was released 53 years ago today, on april 17th, 1959 and below, youll find five pieces of information that even the biggest sirk fans might not be aware of.
Oct 12, 2008 but what makes imitation of life so interesting is the subversive and ironic touches that sirk includes. Overall, the direction is standard and the acting is. Butler presumes otherwise, proposing that the film ridicules delilahs inability to grasp. I have much enjoyed imitation of life, the 59 lana turner version by douglas sirk.
Claudette colbert and louise beavers are superb as bea and delilah, two women with young daughters who build a life and a fortune together selling delilahs pancake recipe. Imitation of life did get the honor of a best picture nomination, losing to colberts other 1934 release, it happened one night, a comedy. The lives of a widow and her housekeeper are united first in mutual need, then success and ultimately, in heartache in this academy awardnominated best picture. Mar 12, 20 the lives of a widow and her housekeeper are united first in mutual need, then success and ultimately, in heartache in this academy awardnominated best picture. The first of two film version of fannie hursts novel, 1934s imitation of life. The hayes code, or to be more exact the breen censorship office, was in operation in 1934. The 59 version changes a few plot points the turner character isnt a jewish businesswoman, and theres no pancake batter and a big business success for the two women. Imitation of life 1934 imitation of life 1934 user. Her talent was often overlooked because of peoples obsession with her race. In the 59 remake he is described as practically white.
Using it as a bad example is like squezing blood from a turnip. Imitation of life 1959 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. The imitation of life is one of the most powerful cinematic displays of racial passing in movie history. Imitation of life 2007 lora meredith lana turner, a white single mother who dreams of being on broadway, has a chance encounter with annie johnson juanita moore, a black widow. Imitation of life analysis essay example graduateway.
It wasnt a small feat to get this film into theaters either. A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fairskinned daughter. Despite receiving critical acclaim, she was unable to find much work in the hollywood of the 1930s and 1940s. Ok, how can the first thing i think of is racism even racism, just because a black actress enters the scene and the. The presentation of both versions, provided myself with a richer nourishing experience of the fannie hurst story.
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