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Claudette Colbert is currently TCM's "Star of the Month," and I'm not complaining. I caught Imitation of Life by chance last night, and at several points almost gave it up but found myself unable to do so. I was torn throughout by a combination of liberal guilt (the stereotypes in this film are morally objectionable! I wonder what Chuck D would have to say about this!? I can't believe our societal expectations were so fucked up for so long!) and admiration for a film that was assuredly intended to show American whites their own hypocrisies, albeit in subtle ways. I found this internal debate delicious, and enjoyed the movie enough to find myself wailing at its maudlin death scene, thinking between sobs "this is so contrived--I could see it coming miles away, wah-ahhah, how cliched!--boo hoo," sniffle, sniffle. I was such a mess!
4 comments:
The Lana Turner version is even worse: they play Mahalia Jackson's "Trouble of the World" at the funeral scene. Not a dry eye in the house.
I think they are playing Claudette's "Midnight" next week. Definitely check it out.
I see you are holding on to "Howard's End" in your DVD liquidation. I'm proud to admit I am mature enough to love this film now. Remember how I used to bash it!?
I recall our recurring Merchant Ivory debates vividly--despite the 4:30am vodka shots. I'm glad to know you've come around a bit!
We will, however, have to disagree about Leave Her to Heaven.
When Vanessa Redgrave wants to take the train to Howard's End on a whim, and Emma Thompson--who is about to lose her own home--decides to join her, I am reminded why I became a designer. Your house is part of your soul. Maybe I needed to move out of my parent's fucking basement to actually see that.
The Husband thought HEAVEN only so-so. He too was put off by the ludicrous entrance of Vincent Price's character in the last act.
I stand by my opinion on the film as both an important work and a seminal piece of Hollywood trash.
The colors and sets in Leave Her to Heaven are smashing. Today's Times had an interesting blurb about the film and its context; I still hated it.
I'm drawn to Howard's End because of the poor Cockney dude with literary and philosophical pretentions who has no hope of achieving anything outside the ordinary, but is tragically aware of his circumstance, unlike his wife.
I wonder why I find that so appealing?
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