A struggling young actress with a six year-old daughter sets up housekeeping with a homeless black widow and her light-skinned eight year-old daughter who rejects her mother by trying to pass for white.
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Title: Imitation of Life (1959)
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Lana Turner | ... | ||
| John Gavin | ... | ||
| Sandra Dee | ... | ||
| Susan Kohner | ... | ||
| Robert Alda | ... | ||
| Dan O'Herlihy | ... |
David Edwards
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| Juanita Moore | ... | ||
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Karin Dicker | ... | |
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Terry Burnham | ... | |
| John Vivyan | ... |
Young Man
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Lee Goodman | ... |
Photographer
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| Ann Robinson | ... |
Showgirl
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| Troy Donahue | ... |
Frankie
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| Sandra Gould | ... |
Annette
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David Tomack | ... |
Mr. McKenney
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Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Aspiring actress Lora Meredith meets Annie Johnson, a homeless black woman at Coney Island and soon they share a tiny apartment. Each woman has an intolerable daughter, though, Annie's little girl Sarah Jane, is by far the worse. Neurotic and obnoxious, Sarah Jane doesn't like being black; since she's light-skinned (her father was practically white), she spends the rest of the film passing as white, much to her mother's heartache and shame. Lora, meanwhile, virtually ignores her own daughter in a single-minded quest for stardom. Written by alfiehitchie
Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
30 April 1959 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Imitación de la vida See more »Filming Locations:
Aquarius Theater - 6230 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA See more »Box Office
Budget:
$2,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
(uncredited)
Written by Arnold Hughes & Frederick Herbert
Performed by Susan Kohner dubbed by Jo Ann Greer
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Because of the heavy public interest in Lana Turner's first film after the Johnny Stompanato scandal, producer Ross Hunter threw the set open to the press on the first day of shooting. They even staged a press conference with the stipulation that Turner would not answer any questions about the case. See more »Goofs
When Lora is posing for the flea powder ad in 1947, several New York City Transit Authority R16 subway cars built in 1954 can be seen passing outside. See more »Crazy Credits
Juanita Moore, who plays Annie, is billed with the credit "And Presenting Juanita Moore as Annie Johnson", even though she had already appeared in many films. See more »Soundtracks
Empty Arms(uncredited)
Written by Arnold Hughes & Frederick Herbert
Performed by Susan Kohner dubbed by Jo Ann Greer
See more »
What is there to say except I'd defy anyone not to be moved by this movie and you'll never tire of watching it over and over. No one special performance, they're all fantastic! If you enjoy Madame X then Lana Turner out acts herself. The film brings home the feeling we all may have but should not have in that you should never deny your loved ones, especially your mother and you realise that a mother's love really is unconditional. Sit back with a box of choccies,a glass of wine and a box of tissues and ENJOY! This is one of my all time greats! It really is a mother/daughter movie and will definitely bring you closer together.