Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysHispanic & Latino VoicesSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Suurinta elämässä

Original title: Imitation of Life
  • 19591959
  • SS
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
17K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
7,185
1,301
Suurinta elämässä (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
POPULARITY
7,185
1,301
  • Director
    • Douglas Sirk
  • Writers
    • Eleanore Griffin(screenplay)
    • Allan Scott(screenplay)
    • Fannie Hurst(novel)
  • Stars
    • Lana Turner
    • John Gavin
    • Sandra Dee
Top credits
  • Director
    • Douglas Sirk
  • Writers
    • Eleanore Griffin(screenplay)
    • Allan Scott(screenplay)
    • Fannie Hurst(novel)
  • Stars
    • Lana Turner
    • John Gavin
    • Sandra Dee
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 177User reviews
    • 64Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 4 wins & 7 nominations total

    Videos1

    Imitation of Life
    Trailer 2:19
    Imitation of Life

    Photos88

    Lana Turner, Terry Burnham, and Juanita Moore in Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Lana Turner, Terry Burnham, Karin Dicker, and Juanita Moore in Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    John Gavin and Lana Turner in Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Lana Turner and Juanita Moore in Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore in Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore in Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Lana Turner and Robert Alda in Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Sandra Dee in Suurinta elämässä (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
    • Director
      • Douglas Sirk
    • Writers
      • Eleanore Griffin(screenplay)
      • Allan Scott(screenplay)
      • Fannie Hurst(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film, which focuses on the relationship struggles of mothers and daughters, was Lana Turner's first since a very public scandal involving Turner and her daughter Cheryl Crane. The previous year, the fourteen year old Crane had fatally stabbed Turner's boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato. Stompanato, part of Mickey Cohen's infamous gang, had been beating Turner, and the court ruled that Crane's actions were justifiable homicide. Nonetheless, the killing and subsequent scandal created a rift between Turner and her daughter, and seriously threatened to end Turner's film career. However, Turner channeled the pain from her experience into this film. It proved financially and critically successful, and served as a comeback vehicle for the actress.
    • Goofs
      When Steve and Susie go riding together their horses jump a low stone wall which one of the horses knocks revealing the whole thing to be a lightweight single-piece prop.
    • 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 reviews177

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Beauty! Romance! Betrayal!
    This Five Hanky Weeper is a classic Lana Turner vehicle. She never looked better.

    This is a remake of a 1934 Claudette Colbert movie of the same name from a popular Fannie Hurst novel.

    The 1934 version is more true to the original story but it is difficult to find and is seldom shown on television.

    The story has been rewritten to take full advantage of Ms. Turner's luminescent beauty. Now, instead of a restaurant owner she is a glamorous star of stage and film.

    But the underlying pathos is the same -- two women, each with a daughter that does not appreciate the sacrifices their mothers have made.

    Before I saw this film I had no idea who Susan Kohner was. She turns out quite a performance and I wonder why she didn't do more films.

    Sandra Dee as Ms. Turner's daughter is Sandra Dee playing a daughter -- you've seen it before.

    In the final scences when Susan Kohner's character does her "That's my momma..." piece you can hear sobs coming from the people in the audience...

    Do not be surprised if some of them are yours.
    helpful•112
    38
    • TuckMN
    • Feb 12, 1999

    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
      • August 28, 1959 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Imitation of Life
    • Filming locations
      • Long Beach, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal International Pictures (UI)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $365
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Suurinta elämässä (1959)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Suurinta elämässä (1959) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows in September
    See the IMDb Editors' picks
    View list
    List
    IMDb's Top 50 TV Dramas
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    We Love These Hollywood Power Couples
    See the gallery

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.