Imitation of Life (1959)
April 14, 2011
Reviewed by: Emma
We watched this film today in my “Film as Subversive Art” class. The best way I can describe it is hilarious, clever and tragic at the same time. The film follows the story of a white mother and daughter (Lora and Susie), who welcome a black mother and her daughter (Annie and Sarah Jane) into their home, because they are without a home. The black mother, Annie, ends up taking the role of Lora’s house maid, while Susie welcomes Sarah Jane instantly – excited to have a new friend, sharing her toys with Sarah Jane. At the beginning of the film we sense Sarah Jane’s embarrassment and shame of having a black mother, when she rejects Susie’s “black” doll, exclaiming that she wants the “white” one. This caused most people in the class to laugh, including me, however as the film progresses the issue becomes serious to the point of it creating painful and destructive problems. You would not expect the film to get as sinister as it does at certain points, all the while being able to get you to burst out laughing the minute afterwards due to some kind of sexist undertone remark. Lora is an aspiring actress, and she won’t give up her dream for anything, the only thing she loves more than her acting is her daughter Susie. Mr. Steve, a random man the family met on the beach, pines after Lora, and the film is successful in hilariously portraying the idea that a woman shouldn’t really aspire for anything, but should just give into a romantic relationship because “it’s all a woman needs”. The film essentially deals with racism, and it deals with Sarah Jane’s inability to accept the colour of her mother’s skin; Sarah Jane’s skin is white due to having an English (I think) father. This really is an amazing film, and it is probably one of the best ‘older’ films I have seen. I highly recommend it.
