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| Available at Amazon.com |
The Universal Legacy Series presents another classic film, or films in this case. What we have here are two classic versions of Imitation Of Life, from 1935 and 1959. At its core the plot of Imitation Of Life is that of two widows who struggle through life, striving for happiness and dealing with racism. Yet each film tells a different story.
In the original, Beatrice Pullman (Claudette Colbert) is a widower with a daughter attempting to keep her husband’s business going. An address mix up lands Delilah Johnson (Louise Beavers) and her daughter on Bea’s doorstep and a friendship bonds instantly. When Bea tries Delilah’s amazing pancakes, she has the idea to open a shop selling them. Soon the years have gone by and both Delilah and Bea are rich. But not all is well. Delilah’s daughter, Peola, who looks more white than black, hates her mother for not being white. Meanwhile Bea’s daughter, Jessie takes a little too kindly to the man she loves.
Things get changed up a little in the 1959 version, Douglas Sirk’s last Hollywood film. Now our leading lady is Lora Meredith (Lana Turner) and out of work actress and a single mom who meets another single mom, Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore) on the beach. Once again, the two women end up living together. As Lora struggles to get an acting job, Annie struggles with her daughter Sara Jane (Susan Kohner). When Lora finally gets her big break on stage her career takes off. The years go by things between Annie and Sara get worse and Lora becomes torn between here career and her family. Then drama unfolds between Lora and her daughter when they fall in love with the same man.
While both versions are good, the original is better. The 1934 version is a little more subtle in its message leaving things for the audience to figure out for themselves. In the 1959 version the melodrama is on high and all the themes, especially the race related ones, are beaten over your head. It’s amazing how different these two films are being that they come from the same story. Like in the first one, the love interest doesn’t come in until the end of the film and is only a small part of the story while in the second one the love interest is introduced right away and plays a major roll in the over all story.
In the first, both Bea and Delilah get rich off the pancakes and Bea treats Delilah as an equal. In the remake Lora gets famous and Annie stays here housekeeper, the fame seems but a distance between them. Also, Sirk’s version focuses more on the drama between Annie and her daughter allowing Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner to steal the show. However both films have very power final scenes.
In discussing these films one must touch on the leading ladies. First off we have Claudette Colbert who was beautiful, charming and totally believable as a competent entrepreneur. This is a fine roll for her and she owns it completely. In our second film we have Lana Turner. Her character, Lora Meredith, is nothing like Bea. She is far more career driven than Bea and Lana plays the coldness fantastically. Her performance does go over the top from time to time, but Sirk’s version is the apotheosis of Melodrama and within the confines of that idea, Lana suits it perfectly.
Despite the differences, these are both great films. The second leans more towards the melodramatic, which might turn some people off but with 5 Oscar nominations between them there is no denying the classic timeless feel that both films have.
Both films look great. The 1934 version is presented in full frame 1.33:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono and is in Black & White. The 1959 version is presented in anamorphic widescreen 1.85:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono and is in Color.
Commentary: Both films come with commentary tracks. The 1934 version is with African American Cultural Scholar Avery Clayton and the 1959 version is with Film Historian Foster Hirsch. As with most Film Historian commentaries, both of these are filled with all sorts of great information you feel like you sitting in a lecture class and it gets boring very quickly.
Lasting Legacy – An Imitation Of Life: (31 min.) This is a great documentary that discusses everything from the history of both films and how they came about to the controversy of the race issues touched on in the films. Along with interviews with film historians and the like, but Juanita Moore talks about her time on the set, which is wonderful.
Trailers
These are both classic dramas and to get them both together like this in one collection is really a deal. This is a great set of films to compare and contrast or just enjoy on their own merits.
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Universal presents Imitation Of Life. Directed by Douglas Sirk. Starring Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Robert Alda, Susan Kohner, Dan O’Herlihy and Juanita Moore. Written by Eleanore Griffin. Running time: 125 minutes. Not Rated. Released on DVD: February 5, 2008. Available at Amazon.com.
About Mike Noyes
