Expert: Jim Kason - 9/26/2008

Question
I was wondering if you could help me with the name of a movie I saw when I was The  movie was about a young black woman who posed as a white woman, because she was ashamed of being black. She grew up left her mother and became some kind of a dancer. The mother later died and the young woman felt bad that she didn't get to see her mom before she died.

Answer
Hi Rachel,

Yes I know the film you're describing.  It's "Imitation of Life", released in 1959 in color by Universal-International Studios.  It starred Lana Turner, with Juanita Hall as the mother.
Lana's daughter was played by Sandra Dee, and the black daughter was played by Susan Kohner.

Actually, this is a remake of the original 1934 film "Imitation of Life", starring Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers.  The newer version changed the story-line slightly,...but
they're both basically the same.

Both versions are available at :   www.amazon.com

Jim Kason