Imitation of Life (1959) |
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| Director(s) | Douglas Sirk |
| Producer(s) | Ross Hunter |
| Top Genres | Drama, Film Adaptation, Romance |
| Top Topics | Book-Based, Broadway, Fame, Mother Daughter, New York, Show Business |
Featured Cast of Imitation of Life See More »
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
Lana Turner
(as Lora Meredith)
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
John Gavin
(as Steve Archer)
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
Sandra Dee
(as Susie)
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
Susan Kohner
(as Sarah Jane)
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
Robert Alda
(as Allen Loomis)
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
Dan O'Herlihy
(as David Edwards)
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
Juanita Moore
(as Annie Johnson)
Imitation of Life
Released
1959
Troy Donahue
(as Frankie)
Imitation of Life Overview:
Imitation of Life (1959) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by Douglas Sirk and produced by Ross Hunter.
SYNOPSIS
Sirk's beautifully composed remake of the 1934 Colbert melodrama. If anything, Turner makes a more icily perfect star for the story of a driven actress whose passion for the stage drains her of time and affection for her daughter (Dee), who grows up mostly in the company of her warm maid (Moore) and the maid's daughter (Kohner). Both mothers come into conflict with their daughters: Turner and Dee compete for the attention of Gavin, and Moore finds that Kohner has been passing as white. No one else in Hollywood handled this kind of material as well as Sirk.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
Academy Awards 1959 --- Ceremony Number 32 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Supporting Actress | Susan Kohner | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Juanita Moore | Nominated |
Imitation of Life BlogHub Articles:
Imitation of Life(1959).
Imitation of Life(1959). Directed by Douglas Sirk. Cast: Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Dan O'Herlihy, Susan Kohner, Robert Alda and Juanita Moore as Annie Johnson. Kohner and Moore received Academy Award nominations for their performances. Gospel music star Mahalia Jackson appears as a church... Read full article
Imitation of Life (1)
I was given an assignment – to submit an essay discussing Douglas Sirk’s 1959 melodrama, Imitation of Life in a “Career Women in Film” course I took some time ago. Since the topic didn’t thrill me, I submitted the following essay, which certainly addresses the topic but also includes som... Read full article
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Imitation of Life Quotes:
Sarah Jane: Busboys! Cooks! Chauffeurs!
[Hmph]
Sarah Jane: Like Hawkins. No thank you; I've seen your "nice young folk".
Annie: I don't wanna fight with you, honey. Not tonight. I don't feel too good. While I get started on the anchovies, will you take this tray in to Miss Lora and her friends?
Sarah Jane: [sarcastic] Why, certainly. Anything at all for Miss Lora and her friends.
Sarah Jane: [affected Southern Negro accent] Fetched y'all up a mess 'a crawdads, Miss Lora... fo' you an' yo' friends!
Lora: Well, that's quite a trick, Sarah Jane... where did you learn it?
Sarah Jane: [affected Southern Negro accent] Oh, 'tain't no trick ta' totin', Miss Lora! I learned it from my mammy, an' she learned it from ol' massa, 'fo' she belonged to you...