Imitation of Life

1959

Imitation of Life

Critics Consensus

Douglas Sirk enriches this lush remake of Imitation of Life with racial commentary and a sharp edge, yielding a challenging melodrama with the power to devastate.

81%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 27

91%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 9,584

Where to watch

Rate And Review

User image

Verified

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Step 2 of 2

    How did you buy your ticket?

    Let's get your review verified.

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

    You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • How did you buy your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

Imitation of Life Photos

View All Photos (4)

Movie Info

This glamorized remake of the 1934 film Imitation of Life bears only a passing resemblance to its source, the best-selling novel by Fannie Hurst. Originally, the heroine was a widowed mother who kept the wolf from the door by setting up a successful pancake business with her black housemaid. In the remake, Lana Turner stars as a would-be actress who is raising her daughter on her own. She chances to meet another single mother at the beach: African-American Juanita Moore. Moore goes to work as Turner's housekeeper, bringing her light-skinned daughter along. As Turner's stage career goes into high gear, Moore is saddled with the responsibility of raising both Turner's daughter and her own. Exposed to the advantages of the white world, Moore's grown-up daughter (Susan Kohner) passes for white, causing her mother a great deal of heartache. Meanwhile, Turner's grown daughter (Sandra Dee), neglected by her mother, seeks comfort in the arms of handsome photographer John Gavin. When Moore dies, her daughter realizes how selfish she's been; simultaneously, Turner awakens to the fact that she hasn't been much of a mother for her own daughter, whose romance has gone down the tubes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Cast

Lana Turner
as Lora Meredith
Juanita Moore
as Annie Johnson
John Gavin
as Steve Archer
Sandra Dee
as Susie (age 16)
Dan O'Herlihy
as David Edwards
Troy Donahue
as Frankie
Jack Weston
as Tom
Susan Kohner
as Sarah Jane (age 18)
Robert Alda
as Allen Loomis
Mahalia Jackson
as Herself
Karen Dicker
as Sarah Jane (age 8)
Terry Burnham
as Suzie (age 6)
John Vivyan
as Young Man
Lee Goodman
as Photographer
Ann Robinson
as Show Girl
Sandra Gould
as Receptionist
David Tomack
as Burly Man
Joel Fluellen
as Minister
Billy House
as Fat Man
Maida Severn
as Teacher
Than Wyenn
as Romano
Peg Shirley
as Fay
Cicely Evans
as Louise
Bess Flowers
as Geraldine Moore
Paul Bradley
as Preston Mitchell
Napoleon Whiting
as Kenneth
Myrna Fahey
as Actress
Eddie Parker
as Policeman
George Barrows
as Furniture Mover
View All

Critic Reviews for Imitation of Life

All Critics (27) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (5)

View All Critic Reviews (27)

Audience Reviews for Imitation of Life

  • Apr 23, 2016
    A lavish, touching melodrama that remains always focused and held together even when trying to flesh out the personal conflicts of so many characters - which it does in a way that is quite realistic and sincere despite how in the end Sirk tries way too hard to force us into tears.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Mar 29, 2011
    The story begins in post WWII NYC when Lana Turner (in the role of a struggling actress) hires a maid Annie (Juanita Moore) to work for and live with Turner and her then 7 year old daughter (same age as the maid's little girl). Times are tough at first, but the foursome gets on fine. Only little Sarah Jane (the maid's daughter) has constant trouble accepting her color and her "African American" mother whom she blames for preventing her from trying to pass off as white. Years pass, the family gains a good fortune and the girls grow up to young women, but life is not just constant bliss: the racial self-hatred of Sarah Jane (now played by Susan Kohner) is seriously affecting her life and self-image and she never misses the opportunity to degrade and humiliate her Mom for just being a maid while the teenaged Susie (Sandra Dee) develops feelings for Steve Archer (John Gavin), the potential fiancé of Lora which predictably leads to trouble. Ostensibly Lana Turner portrays the main character. Hers is the familiar, rags-to-riches tale, made even more glamorous by its show business context. But by the end of the film, her story is secondary. What makes this movie fascinating are the scenes between long suffering Annie and her daughter Sarah Jane. This is definitely a tear jerker so be sure to have a box of tissues for the film's conclusion.
    Deb S Super Reviewer
  • Feb 20, 2011
    Douglas Sirk's classic weepy about our innate tendency to inadvertantly drive away the ones we love the most. Lana Turner and Juanita Moore give particularly outstanding performances.
    Bob O Super Reviewer
  • Sep 05, 2010
    Sometimes this movie is overly melodramatic, and gets on my nerves a little, but the story is really good and very realistic. This is a remake of the thirties film, but it's slightly better made. It's a really good movie, and I recommend seeing it.
    Aj V Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

Imitation of Life Quotes

View All Quotes

Movie & TV guides