Imitation of Life (1934 film)

E495609

Imitation of Life (1934 film) is a classic American drama that explores race, class, and motherhood through the intertwined lives of a white businesswoman and her Black housekeeper and their daughters.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf film
academyAwardsCeremony 7th Academy Awards
authorOfSourceWork Fannie Hurst
basedOn Imitation of Life (novel)
blackAndWhite true
character Bea Pullman
Delilah Johnson
Jessie Pullman
Peola Johnson
countryOfOrigin United States
director John M. Stahl
distributedInFormat theatrical release
distributor Universal Pictures
era Pre-Code Hollywood
genre drama film
melodrama film
hasRemake Imitation of Life (1959 film)
linked to: Imitation of Life
includedIn National Film Registry
language English
narrativeFocus intertwined lives of a white businesswoman and her Black housekeeper
relationships between mothers and daughters
nominatedFor Academy Award for Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Sound Recording
notableFor early Hollywood depiction of African American characters
portrayal of racial passing in 1930s American cinema
producer Carl Laemmle Jr.
linked to: Carl Laemmle
productionCompany Universal Pictures
publicationYearOfSourceWork 1933
registrySelectionYear 2005
releaseDate November 26, 1934
releaseYear 1934
remakeDirector Douglas Sirk
runtime 111 minutes
screenwriter Clara Beranger
William Hurlbut
setIn New York City
soundRecordingNominee Theodore Soderberg
starring Claudette Colbert
Fredi Washington
Louise Beavers
Ned Sparks
Rochelle Hudson
Warren William
theme class
entrepreneurship
friendship between women
motherhood
passing (racial identity)
race

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (19)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Claudette Colbert notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Travis Banton designedForFilm Imitation of Life
linked to: Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Lana Turner notableWork Imitation of Life
linked to: Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Rochelle Hudson notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Louise Beavers notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Hans Dreier notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
John M. Stahl notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
John M. Stahl directed Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Fannie Hurst notableWork Imitation of Life
linked to: Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Fannie Hurst notableAdaptationOfWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Émilie Claudette Chauchoin notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Imitation of Life (1934 film) basedOn Imitation of Life (novel)
linked to: Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Claudette Colbert notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
subject linked to: Émilie
Imitation of Life (1959 film) basedOn Imitation of Life (1934 film)
subject linked to: Imitation of Life
Imitation of Life (1959 film) remakeOf Imitation of Life (1934 film)
subject linked to: Imitation of Life
Delilah Johnson appearsIn Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Delilah Johnson firstAppearance Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Jacob Morris Strelitsky notableWork Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Proton Theatre hasProduction Imitation of Life
linked to: Imitation of Life (1934 film)