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Imitation of Life

An aspiring white actress takes in an African-American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white.

Director

Douglas Sirk

Year

Genre

Box Office

N/A

Production

Universal International Pictures

Awards

Nominated for 2 Oscars. 4 wins & 7 nominations total

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The Postman Always Rings Twice, A Woman's Face, Sounder, Teacher's Pet, Imitation of Life, On the Beach, Entranced Earth, Gloria, All That Heaven Allows

Lora Meredith

Steve Archer

Susie (16)

Sarah Jane (18)

Allen Loomis

David Edwards

Annie Johnson

Sarah Jane (8)

Susie (6)

Young Man

Photographer

Showgirl

Frankie

Annette

Mr. McKenney

Minister

Tom

Fat Man on Beach

Teacher

Romano

Fay

Choir Soloist

Mahalia Jackson

Party Guest

Furniture Mover

Bit Part

Chuckie Bradley

Preston Mitchell

Man at Coney Island

Chet Brandenburg

Marching Band Member

Security

Actor at Audition

Steve Carruthers

McKinney

Richard Collier

Show Spectator

Marching Band Member

Joe Darensbourg

Waiter

Marching Band Member

Lora's Friend

Self

Louise Morton

Iris Dawn

Geraldine Moore

Show Spectator

Bit Part

Cop

Bit Part

Teacher

Doctor

Waiter

Bit Part

Bit Part

Doctor

Watchman

Bit Part

Cop at Funeral

Restaurant Patron

Audience Member

Audience Member

Funeral Onlooker

Truck Driver

Bit Part

Dog Owner

Bit Part

Jeanne Westmore

Kenneth - Lora's Butler

Napoleon Whiting

View All Cast

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Explore 41 Clips

Lora Meredith Sarah Jane Showgirl

[Carnival] - Imitation of Life

Susie! - Imitation of Life

[Girls Giggling] - Imitation of Life

[Girls Giggling]

First.
[Panting]
[Panting] - Imitation of Life

First. [Panting] [Panting]

There's a little place
off the kitchen. - Imitation of Life

There's a little place off the kitchen.

[Whispering]
Thank you, Mr. McKinney. - Imitation of Life

[Whispering] Thank you, Mr. McKinney.

Good boy. - Imitation of Life

We just come from a place where - Imitation of Life

We just come from a place where

You're aiming high - Imitation of Life

You're aiming high

What about my bones - Imitation of Life

What about my bones

[Gate Thumping] - Imitation of Life

[Gate Thumping]

Come on in. - Imitation of Life

You have a wonderful
handwriting, Annie. - Imitation of Life

You have a wonderful handwriting, Annie.

Why, you're
practically normal.
[Giggling] - Imitation of Life

Why, you're practically normal. [Giggling]

How do you explain to your child she was born to be hurt - Imitation of Life

How do you explain to your child she was born to be hurt

Well I'm going up and up and up and nobody's going to pull me down - Imitation of Life

Well I'm going up and up and up and nobody's going...

[Cheering,
Applause Continues] - Imitation of Life

[Cheering, Applause Continues]

- Lora Meredith!
- Lora Meredith! - Imitation of Life

- Lora Meredith! - Lora Meredith!

Annie, I think
we'll try these,
uh, over here. - Imitation of Life

Annie, I think we'll try these, uh, over here.

Wasn't she great? - Imitation of Life

Wasn't she great?

Did you wish on it?
Mm-hmm. - Imitation of Life

Did you wish on it? Mm-hmm.

We're goin' now,
honey. - Imitation of Life

We're goin' now, honey.

Sarah Jane!
Where have you been? - Imitation of Life

Sarah Jane! Where have you been?

I'd be happy knowin' you're meetin' nice young folks - Imitation of Life

I'd be happy knowin' you're meetin' nice...

Fetched y'all up a mess 'a crawdads - Imitation of Life

Fetched y'all up a mess 'a crawdads

Another drink,
Sr. Romano? - Imitation of Life

Another drink, Sr. Romano?

You weren't being colored - Imitation of Life

You weren't being colored

You don't know what it means to be - Imitation of Life

You don't know what it means to be

{y:i}[Allen]
{y:i}Lora, wait a minute. - Imitation of Life

{y:i}[Allen] {y:i}Lora, wait a minute.

It never occurred to me that you had many friends - Imitation of Life

It never occurred to me that you had many friends

When do you leave, Steve? - Imitation of Life

When do you leave, Steve?

All right?
Fine. Let's ride
down to the river. - Imitation of Life

All right? Fine. Let's ride down to the river.

Isn't this fun? - Imitation of Life

Isn't this fun?

I hope you won't
be disappointed. - Imitation of Life

I hope you won't be disappointed.

Can I help you, lady? - Imitation of Life

Can I help you, lady?

I wouldn't be caught dead in a colored teachers' college - Imitation of Life

I wouldn't be caught dead in a colored teachers'...

{y:i}[Song Ends] - Imitation of Life

{y:i}[Song Ends]

I'm somebody else - Imitation of Life

I'm somebody else

Well! Get you. - Imitation of Life

You had a mammy - Imitation of Life

You had a mammy

It's only because of my ambition that you've had the best of everything - Imitation of Life

It's only because of my ambition that you've had...

Imitation of Life poster

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An aspiring white actress takes in an African-American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white.

User Rating: 0.0 (0 ratings)

Director: Douglas Sirk

Writer: Eleanore Griffin, Allan Scott, Fannie Hurst

Production: Universal International Pictures

Genre: drama

Year: 1959

MetaScore: 87/100

ImdbRating: 7.8

BoxOffice: N/A

Released: 20 Mar 1959

Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars. 4 wins & 7 nominations total

Homepage:

Also watch: The Postman Always Rings Twice, A Woman's Face, Sounder, Teacher's Pet, Imitation of Life, On the Beach, Entranced Earth, Gloria, All That Heaven Allows