Imitation of Life (1959)

While this film is now sixty years old, it still deals with some relevant issues, especially the scene where the hotshot agent tries to get Lora Meredith (Lana Turner) to have sex with him so he'll 'help' her career grab hold.
However, the film is not about the dated relationship of Lora with the men in her life, it is the film about two sets of mothers and daughters. There is Lora, who finally becomes an established, successful stage actress, able to get her daughter, Susie (Sandra Dee) everything material Lora never had growing up while only loving her from afar and the story of her housekeeper, friend and confidante, the African American Annie (Juanita Moore) and her light-skinned daughter, Sarah Jane (Susan Kohrer). There is plenty of tension between both sets as Susie falls helplessly in the love with Steve (John Gavin) who only has eyes for Lora. But the troubles between Sarah Jane and Annie are more than the rich, superficial problems. Sarah Jane favors her light-skinned father who abandoned her, so light-skinned, she passes for white and wants to. She hates being treated as less than and no amount of reasoning from Annie or Lora can get her to change her mind. Annie does eventually accept that though it breaks her heart and does hurt Sarah Jane more than she will ever admit.
However, in the end, I don't think anyone wins. Annie dies, Sarah Jane feels guilty as hell, Susie moves away to college to avoid Steve and Lora together, and Lora happily gives up her successful career to be a professional wife, but I suppose it is on her terms.
While the film is dated, in parts, it nevertheless has some issues that bare discussing and shows that living the life you want can hurt others and that matters. Filled with good performances, the film is worth watching. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-The men in this film are the worst. There is the agent who is this close to sexual assault (Robert Alda), the controlling Steve (Gavin) who does it in the name of love and Frankie (Troy Donovan) who beats the crap out of Sarah Jane when he finds out that she's African American. The only acception is the playwright David Edwards (Dan O'Herlihy) who mostly listens to Lora's opinion and respects it but he also becomes controlling of her career as they have had so many successful plays together.
-Susan Kohrer is actually half-Hispanic, half Caucasian. Her casting would not pass today.
-Why in the world would Annie want to splurge on her funeral as she won't be around to enjoy it?
-The most remembered line is when Annie states it is difficult to explain to her daughter that she is set up for a world of hate.