The cast are topnotch and includes lana turner, sandra dee, anthony quinn, john. In 1963, sandra was voted the 8th biggest star in the united states. Their story is the stuff of more conventional movie soap operas, though the beautiful people involved. Overview of portrait in black, 1960, directed by michael gordon, with lana turner, anthony quinn, richard basehart, at turner classic movies. Lonely for attention, she seeks the love from her husbands dr. Her film break came when producer ross hunter balked at natalie woods lofty salary demands. Original movie ad picture clippings p rinted in japan jpn. Imitation of life 1959 movie clip foolish together.
Acclaimed producer ross hunter teams with lana turner, anthony quinn, sandra dee and john saxon in portrait in black, a glamorous and provocative murder mystery set in san franciscos affluent nob hill. In praise of juanita moores heartbreaking performance in imitation. She appeared in 3 film noir movies the best being the postman always rings twice. Featuring juanita moor and susan kohner in dynamic roles that earned them oscar nominations for best supporting actress, imitation of life was a. Released january 22nd, 2007, imitation of life stars lana turner, john gavin, sandra dee, dan oherlihy the movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 5 min, and received a score of out of 100 on. An aspiring actress befriends a black widow, but trouble arises when the latter is rejected by. April 23, 1942 february 20, 2005 was an american actress. Imitation of life stars lana turner, sandra dee, john gavin, juanita moore, susan kohner, troy donahue and a cameo by mahalia jacksonthis is a tribute to juanita who passed on january 1. Imitation of life is without question one of my alltime favorite movies. Lana turner behind the movie camera vintage 1962 whos got the action photograph.
Sandra dee was an american actress who rose to fame with her third film, imitation of life, in 1959. Sandra dee of gidget fame suffered tremendous heartbreak. The films topbilled stars are lana turner and john gavin, and the cast also features sandra dee, dan oherlihy, susan kohner, robert alda and juanita moore. Blaxploitation pride imitation of life 1959 facebook. Most notable tv show was peyton place for which she won award. Imitation of life movie 1959 lana turner, john gavin, sandra dee.
Lana turner, american film actress known for her glamorous looks and sexual allure. Imitation of life starring lana turner, john gavin and sandra dee, 1959 an awesome movie we saw this at the kenwood drive in. An adulterous couple turner and quinn conspire to kill her tyrannical husband. From 1959 to 1963 she was voted one of the most popular movie stars by quigley publications annual survey. The legendary lana turner stars in this 1959 version of fannie hursts emotionally charged drama, which chronicles two widows and their troubled daughters as they struggle to find true happiness amidst racial prejudice. In the remake, lana turner stars as a wouldbe actress who is raising her. Imitation of life 2007 stream and watch online moviefone. Sandra dee was one of the biggest pinups of the 1950s thanks to movies like gidget, imitation of life, a summer place and come september. Lana turner shines in douglas sirks moving ragstoriches tale. Portrait in black is a sort of film noir that doesnt get the attention it deserves. Lora lana turner persues fame and fortune as an actress whilst neglecting the ones she really loves. Lana turner had that mysterious, undefinable quality, that certain something extra that distinguishes a star from an alsoran. Sandra dee was one of hollywoods hottest boxoffice draws in the early 1960s. Dick powell and gloria graham put in an excellent appearance as the bartlows.
She started as a child actor, and made her film debut in 1957 with until they sail, a film that earned dee her first golden globe award. Lana turner, john gavin, sandra dee, juanita moore, susan kohner lora meredith is an aspiring actres. Sandra dee plays turners daughter great casting and beautiful susan kohner is moores daughter, sarah jane. Imitation of life trailer directed by douglas sirk and starring lana turner, john gavin, sandra dee, susan kohner, robert alda. With lana turner, john gavin, sandra dee, susan kohner. This glamorized remake of the 1934 film imitation of life bears only a passing. Sandra dees movie career soared in 1959, with the release of two major hits.
Single mom and aspiring actress lora lana turner, embarrassed by christmas attention from steve john gavin, as housekeeperroommate annie juanita moore takes a call from agent loomis robert alda, representing edwards dan oherlihy, in douglas sirks hit. Lana appeared in 59 feature films and 21 television series. An unhappy wife married to an overbearing controlling and manipulative husband lloyd nolan. Sandra dee 19422005 was an american actress who became a star in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Starring lana turner, juanita moore, susan kohner, sandra dee, john gavin, robert alda, dan oherlihy, karin dicker, terry burnham. Original, 1970 black and white glossy photo of sandra dees body double from the dunwich horror. Sarah jane susan kohler passes as white not to gain better social rights but to persue false ideals of white beauty. Best remembered for her role as the irrepressible gidget in the hit teensurfer movie of the same name, dee and her career failed to capture the momentum of her early years as an exuberant, attractive starlet, and she retreated into a reclusive life plagued by. The story follows widow and aspiring actress lora lana turner, whose. It all sounds like a soapopera a common criticism of sirks films at the. Complicating their story is john gavin, a squarejawed leading man of the rock hudson mold playing loras love interest and the object of susies girlhood crush.
The 59 version is done as a glossy soap opera and why not, it stars lana turner in all her glamour and beauty and is directed by the master of this type of film, douglas sirk. Sandra dee biography life, family, children, name, story. She enjoyed her greatest popularity in the 1940s and 50s, often playing the part of a good girl gone bad, in such movies as the postman always rings twice, the bad and the beautiful, peyton place, and imitation of life. Imitation of life 1959 trailer sandra dee lana turner youtube. One of the most glamorous superstars of hollywoods golden era, lana turner was born february 8, 1921, in wallace, id. The films topbilled stars are lana turner and john gavin, and the cast also features sandra dee, dan oherlihy, susan kohner. But the blonde beauty who died in 2005 at the age of 62. In 1960, alongside john saxon and lana turner, sandra appeared in universals portrait in black.
Imitation of life 1959 movie clip title song, credits. She next appeared in the critically acclaimed 1952 film, the bad and the beautiful, and the 1957 movie, peyton place, receiving an academy award nomination for best actress. Today, lana turner was born in 1921, originally coming from wallace, idaho. After a married woman and her lover murder her cruel husband, they find themselves targeted by someone who is aware of their crime. Earl grants vocal, sammy fain and paul thomas websters song, the especially evocative title sequence, from producer ross hunter and director douglas sirks hit melodrama imitation of life, starring lana turner, john gavin, sandra dee and juanita moore. Universal producer ross hunter had reportedly been looking for a newcomer after balking at paying warner bros. The two motherdaughter pairs consist of a beautiful, young white widow and struggling actress lora meredith lana turner and her barbiedoll child susie sandra dee, and the black and homeless housekeeper annie johnson juanita moore and her lightskinned daughter sarah jane susan kohner, who tries to pass for white. Dee began her career as a child model, working first in commercials, and then film in her teenage years. An aspiring actress befriends a black widow, but trouble arises when the latter is rejected by her daughter, who tries to pass for white. Sandra dee s last interview pt discuesses her alcoholism,anorexia nervosa,sexual abuse,etc. Barry sullivan disappears after lana shows up, not to be seen until the end. With lana turner, anthony quinn, richard basehart, sandra dee.
Lana turner, a beautiful presence in any movie, is good, but at times she appears to be overwhelmed by the range of emotions she has to project, especially with that phony car scene. Loras black housekeeper, annie juanita moore, has troubles of her own as she faces the rejection of her own fairskinned daughter, sarah jane susan kohner, who abandons her heritage for a chance to be accepted as white. Lana turner, sandra dee and john gavin discover that it takes the realities of life to help us discover who we truly are in this classic, stirring drama of ambition directed by douglas sirk. Imitation of life movie 1959 lana turner, john gavin. Imitation of life is the second film adaptation of fannie hursts novel of the same name. In 1961, dee starred in tammy tell me true, a comedy film that was directed by harry keller. Meanwhile, turners grown daughter sandra dee, neglected by her mother, seeks. At the age of 15, while cutting school, she was spotted by hollywood reporter staffer billy wilkinson in a hollywood drugstore. Sandra dee lana turner portrait in black 1960 vintage. She appeared in her fist film at the age of 17 in 1937. Lana turner plays lora, a single white mother whose hollywood starlet ambitions come at the expense of any meaningful relationship with her daughter, susie sandra dee. Lora meredith lana turner, a white single mother who dreams of being on broadway, has a chance encounter with annie johnson juanita moore, a. Imitation of life 2007 lora meredith lana turner, a white single mother who dreams of being on broadway, has a chance encounter with annie johnson juanita moore, a black widow.
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