Imitation of Life

Appeals to viewers drawn to emotionally direct social melodrama about intimate relationships shaped by race, class, and conflicting dreams.

Tone

melancholic, sentimental, bittersweet

Payoff

heartbreak, reflection

Pacing

steady

Intensity

moderate

Structure

linear

Themes

motherhood, racial identity, class inequality, ambition, friendship

Setting

mid-twentieth-century, urban homes and theatrical New York