Douglas Sirk as Auteur (Discussion)
From Screenpedia
Equivalent characters in the 1934 and 1959 versions of Imitation of Life
| 1934 | 1959 |
| Bea | Lora |
| Delilah | Annie |
| Jessie | Susie |
| Peola | Sarah Jane |
| Steve | Steve |
Readings
"Three-Way Mirror: Imitation of Life"
- Lucy Fischer sums the previous approaches to Imitation of Life and then addresses her own concerns about the film:
- "The question of women and work"
- "The issue of race"
- "The matter of star biography"
- According to Fischer, what "cliché" is there about women's employment in the decade 1948-58? Why is it untrue?
- Often, films place women in the position of choosing between work outside the home and staying at home and nurturing children. How does Imitation of Life deal with this conflict—both in terms of Lora and Annie? Does Annie fit a "mammy" stereotype? What does Fischer have to say about African Americans and domestic labor?
- And how does the presentation of work vs. motherhood differ in the 1934 and 1959 versions?
- It's not just work and motherhood that are inflected with issues surrounding race. Fischer also sees a connection between race and "performance," between race and imitations (plural) of life. What different forms of performance, of playing a role, are evident in Imitation of Life? Who performs and why?
- How does changing the white mother form the "Pancake Queen" to a performer change the story's meaning?
- We'll discuss Turner as a star more fully next week, but what themes (or polysemy) does Fischer say were associated both with Turner (embodied in the Johnny Stompanato scandal) and Turner's character in Imiation of Life?
