Imitation of Life (1959 film)
Imitation of Life is a 1959 American drama film directed by Douglas Sirk, produced by Ross Hunter and released by Universal International. It was Sirk's final Hollywood film and dealt with issues of race, class and gender. Imitation of Life is the second film adaptation of Fannie Hurst's 1933 novel of the same name; the first, directed by John M. Stahl, was released in 1934.
| Imitation of Life | |
|---|---|
Film poster by Reynold Brown | |
| Directed by | Douglas Sirk |
| Screenplay by | Eleanore Griffin Allan Scott |
| Based on | Imitation of Life 1933 novel by Fannie Hurst |
| Produced by | Ross Hunter |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Russell Metty |
| Edited by | Milton Carruth |
| Music by |
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| Color process | Eastmancolor |
Production company | Universal-International |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 125 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.2 million |
| Box office | $6.4 million (est. US/ Canada rentals) |
The film's top-billed stars are Lana Turner and John Gavin, and the cast also features Sandra Dee, Dan O'Herlihy, Susan Kohner, Robert Alda and Juanita Moore. Kohner and Moore received Academy Award nominations for their performances. Gospel music star Mahalia Jackson appears as a church choir soloist.
In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected Imitation of Life for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." The original 1934 version of Imitation of Life was added to the National Film Registry in 2005.