Imitation of Life (1959)

Directed by Douglas Sirk.

The themes in Imitation of Life are two women bonding, a complicated mother-daughter relationship, and racial issues. With its interesting shapes, colors, and music, Douglas Sirk's movie is dynamic and full of interest. The director did not deal in subtle romance; his stories were embellished with clever but vaguely exploitative elements characteristic of the soap opera genre, then melodrama was cranked up to the max. My favorite character in the movie was Jaunita Moore as Annie, the housekeeper. She is a wonderful character, and you can see why everyone - no matter what color they are - adores her.

One thing that straight-forward appeals to me is the stylish costumes that Lora (Lana Turner) wears. These are timeless pieces that accentuate women's bodies while still maintaining their elegance. 

The mirror is a typical object Sirk uses for his movie scenes - it can be seen in scenes where daughters have conflicts with their mothers, for example. Sirk's movies are characterized by their use of shadows, which I find to be one of his specialties. They create dramatic frames, accentuate different aspects of the scenes, and accentuate the faces of the actors in an unnatural but impressive way.