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Imitation of Life

A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business, but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way.

Director

John M. Stahl

Year

Genre

Box Office

N/A

Production

Universal Pictures

Awards

Nominated for 3 Oscars. 1 win & 3 nominations total

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Beatrice Pullman

Claudette Colbert

Stephen Archer

Jessie Pullman

Rochelle Hudson

Elmer Smith

Delilah Johnson

Peola Johnson

Fredi Washington

Baby Jessie Pullman

Juanita Quigley

Martin the Furniture Man

The Painter

Jarvis the Butler

Wyndham Standing

Party Guest

French Maid

Englishman at Party

Peola at 10

Black Secretary

Tipsy Man at Party

Black Waitress

Young Woman at Party

Party Guest

Man Buying Cigar

William B. Davidson

Party Guest

Teacher

Minor Role

Mrs. Eden

Mrs. Ramsey

Party Guest

Pallbearer

Black Minister

Peola at 4

Sebie Hendricks

James

Black Undertaker

Stuart Johnston

Peola's Frontrow Classmate

Marcia Mae Jones

Funeral Spectator

Jessie at 8

Marilyn Knowlden

Dr. Preston

Mrs. Dale

Black Chauffeur

Woman at Funeral

Woman at Funeral

Hattie McDaniel

Teacher Outside Classroom

Claire McDowell

Party Guest

Footman

Man at Funeral

Party Guest

Edmund Mortimer

Party Guest Saying Goodbye

Young Man Giving Toast

Butler at Party

Party Guest

Mr. Carven

Franklin Pangborn

Jackson's Restaurant Manager

Man at Funeral

Hayes E. Robertson

Party Guest

Ronald R. Rondell

Party Guest

Japanese Customer in Pancake Shop

Party Guest

Black Cook

Madame Sul-Te-Wan

Party Guest

Woman at Funeral

Mrs. Craven

Man at Funeral

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Man at Funeral

Hugh

Party Guest

Black Maid

Hazel Washington

Mr. Bristol

Clarence Wilson

Frontrow Classmate

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Explore 45 Clips

Delilah Johnson Peola Johnson, Age 19 Beatrice 'bea' Pullman Jessie Pullman, Age 18 Baby Jessie Pullman, Age 3 Elmer Smith Jessie At 8 Peola At 10 Funeral Spectator

♪ Nobody knows ♪ - Imitation of Life

♪ Nobody knows ♪

Hello. Good morning,
Mr. Auburn. Yes. - Imitation of Life

Hello. Good morning, Mr. Auburn. Yes.

Hello?
Yes, Mr. Auburn. - Imitation of Life

Hello? Yes, Mr. Auburn.

Jessie! Oh, darling.
Are you hurt? - Imitation of Life

Jessie! Oh, darling. Are you hurt?

Good evenin', Miss Bea.
You're pretty late tonight. - Imitation of Life

Good evenin', Miss Bea. You're pretty late tonight...

Your supper's ready,
Miss Bea. - Imitation of Life

Your supper's ready, Miss Bea.

Oh, my feet hurt. - Imitation of Life

Oh, my feet hurt.

Doesn't she look like an angel - Imitation of Life

Doesn't she look like an angel

[Muttering In Italian] - Imitation of Life

[Muttering In Italian]

Let's do it over again All right - Imitation of Life

Let's do it over again All right

You apologize to Peola this minute - Imitation of Life

You apologize to Peola this minute

Gee, I didn't know
she was colored. - Imitation of Life

Gee, I didn't know she was colored.

Some rain! - Imitation of Life

I see you have
a window-shopper,
Mrs. Pullman. - Imitation of Life

I see you have a window-shopper, Mrs. Pullman.

Why, Peola,
didn't you see your mother?
Yes, I saw her. - Imitation of Life

Why, Peola, didn't you see your mother? Yes, I saw her.

Don't you want your own house - Imitation of Life

Don't you want your own house

You're hopeless - Imitation of Life

You're hopeless

Once a pancake always a pancake - Imitation of Life

Once a pancake always a pancake

Them boys sure play good
for white boys. - Imitation of Life

Them boys sure play good for white boys.

Come on, honey,
I'll dance with ya. - Imitation of Life

Come on, honey, I'll dance with ya.

What's my baby want - Imitation of Life

What's my baby want

Are you looking
for something? - Imitation of Life

Are you looking for something?

Jarvis?
Yes, madam. - Imitation of Life

Jarvis? Yes, madam.

May I get you something?
An ice or some "flannel" cakes? - Imitation of Life

May I get you something? An ice or some "flannel" ...

Have one?
No, thanks. - Imitation of Life

Have one? No, thanks.

Good night.
Good night, dear. - Imitation of Life

Good night. Good night, dear.

Pierre's at 1:15. - Imitation of Life

Pierre's at 1:15.

I've got Jessie - Imitation of Life

I've got Jessie

Asleep yet, honey? - Imitation of Life

Asleep yet, honey?

Peola won't you be a good child like you can be - Imitation of Life

Peola won't you be a good child like you can be

Oh, my baby. - Imitation of Life

You'd make a great undertaker - Imitation of Life

You'd make a great undertaker

Hello, Delilah. - Imitation of Life

Hello, Delilah.

You got to learn to take it - Imitation of Life

You got to learn to take it

Good evening, madam.
Good evening, sir. - Imitation of Life

Good evening, madam. Good evening, sir.

This must be
the place. - Imitation of Life

This must be the place.

How do you like
your new job?
Very much, thank you. - Imitation of Life

How do you like your new job? Very much, thank you.

Thank you.
Give me one of those. - Imitation of Life

Thank you. Give me one of those.

Come on, Delilah.
Come on. - Imitation of Life

Come on, Delilah. Come on.

Brace up, Delilah.
Everything will turn out
all right. - Imitation of Life

Brace up, Delilah. Everything will turn out all right.

What's the good of algebra and all that stuff to a girl - Imitation of Life

What's the good of algebra and all that stuff to a girl

Peola? - Imitation of Life

She worked for me - Imitation of Life

She worked for me

Stephen, go back
to your islands. - Imitation of Life

Stephen, go back to your islands.

I want my quack quack - Imitation of Life

I want my quack quack

Imitation of Life poster

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business, but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way.

User Rating: 0.0 (0 ratings)

Director: John M. Stahl

Writer: Fannie Hurst, William Hurlbut, Preston Sturges

Production: Universal Pictures

Genre: drama, romance

Year: 1934

MetaScore: 72/100

ImdbRating: 7.5

BoxOffice: N/A

Released: 26 Nov 1934

Awards: Nominated for 3 Oscars. 1 win & 3 nominations total

Homepage:

Also watch: Sleep, My Love, The Thin Man Goes Home, I Married a Witch, Imitation of Life, The Thin Man, Zardoz, Paris Is Burning, Bringing Up Baby, Badlands, Blonde, Knock Knock, A Christmas Carol, Sully