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IMDbPro

Imitation of Life

  • 19591959
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
17K
YOUR RATING
Imitation of Life (1959)
Trailer for this classic drama
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
88 Photos
Drama
An aspiring white actress takes in an African-American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white.An aspiring white actress takes in an African-American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white.An aspiring white actress takes in an African-American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white.
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
17K
YOUR RATING
    • Douglas Sirk
    • Eleanore Griffin(screenplay)
    • Allan Scott(screenplay)
    • Fannie Hurst(novel)
  • Stars
    • Lana Turner
    • John Gavin
    • Sandra Dee
    • Douglas Sirk
    • Eleanore Griffin(screenplay)
    • Allan Scott(screenplay)
    • Fannie Hurst(novel)
  • Stars
    • Lana Turner
    • John Gavin
    • Sandra Dee
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 180User reviews
    • 67Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars

    Videos1

    Imitation of Life
    Trailer 2:19
    Watch Imitation of Life

    Photos88

    Lana Turner, Terry Burnham, and Juanita Moore in Imitation of Life (1959)
    Lana Turner, Terry Burnham, Karin Dicker, and Juanita Moore in Imitation of Life (1959)
    John Gavin and Lana Turner in Imitation of Life (1959)
    Lana Turner and Juanita Moore in Imitation of Life (1959)
    Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore in Imitation of Life (1959)
    Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore in Imitation of Life (1959)
    Imitation of Life (1959)
    Imitation of Life (1959)
    Imitation of Life (1959)
    Imitation of Life (1959)
    Lana Turner and Robert Alda in Imitation of Life (1959)
    Sandra Dee in Imitation of Life (1959)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lana Turner
    Lana Turner
    • Lora Meredith
    John Gavin
    John Gavin
    • Steve Archer
    Sandra Dee
    Sandra Dee
    • Susie (16)
    Susan Kohner
    Susan Kohner
    • Sarah Jane (18)
    Robert Alda
    Robert Alda
    • Allen Loomis
    Dan O'Herlihy
    Dan O'Herlihy
    • David Edwards
    Juanita Moore
    Juanita Moore
    • Annie Johnson
    Karin Dicker
    • Sarah Jane (8)
    Terry Burnham
    • Susie (6)
    John Vivyan
    John Vivyan
    • Young Man
    Lee Goodman
    • Photographer
    Ann Robinson
    Ann Robinson
    • Showgirl
    Troy Donahue
    Troy Donahue
    • Frankie
    Sandra Gould
    Sandra Gould
    • Annette
    David Tomack
    • Mr. McKenney
    Joel Fluellen
    Joel Fluellen
    • Minister
    Jack Weston
    Jack Weston
    • Tom
    Billy House
    Billy House
    • Fat Man on Beach
      • Douglas Sirk
      • Eleanore Griffin(screenplay)
      • Allan Scott(screenplay)
      • Fannie Hurst(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Imitation of Life
    Imitation of Life

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As Mahalia Jackson started singing at the funeral, Lana Turner lost control and fled to her trailer in tears. When no arguments could convince her to return to the church and shoot the scene, her makeup woman slapped her in the face, breaking her out of her hysterics. She then returned to the set and completed the scene perfectly.
    • Goofs
      Susan Kohner's bedroom clock radio is unplugged throughout both its scenes, although she switches it on to music in the second scene.
    • Quotes

      Annie: How do you tell a child that she was born to be hurt?

    • 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.
    • Connections
      Featured in Home Stories (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Imitation of Life
      Words by Paul Francis Webster

      Music by Sammy Fain

      Sung by Earl Grant

    User reviews180

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    A swan-song gem and a real tear jerker
    This swan-song for Douglas Sirk also happens to be I feel one of his best. Imitation of Life is a gem of a film, and for many reasons is a real tear jerker.

    Imitation of Life is sumptuously filmed. The cinematography is beautiful, as are the costumes, scenery and sets. The music is excellent too, not just in the incidental music but also in the funeral song sung by Mahalia Jackson. It is absolutely gut-wrenching, and when my family and I saw it there wasn't a dry eye in the room as that song played. Imitation of Life also benefits from some great direction, an engrossing story that deals with a lot of domestic troubles and issues and a well written script. Not to mention the acting- although I am not an immediate fan of Lana Turner she is great as the actress oblivious to the issues she faces but be prepared for a lot of delirious and melodramatic mood swings if you haven't seen the film yet, and Juanita Moore is excellent too as the most sympathetic character. But Susan Kohner steals the show as Sarah Jane, the character I was most interested in and Kohner did brilliantly carrying the second half of this film.

    Overall, excellent film, melodramatic it is but not in a bad way. 10/10 Bethany Cox
    helpful•14
    1
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Oct 3, 2010

    FAQ12

    • What is 'Imitation of Life' about?
    • Is "Imitation of Life" based on a book?
    • Who sings the title song? Is it Nat King Cole?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 20, 1959 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Long Beach, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal International Pictures (UI)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 2 hours 5 minutes

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