Details

Release year: 1959

Storyline

An aspiring white actress takes in an African American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white.

Top credits

Directors

Douglas Sirk

Writers

Cast

Lana Turner — Lora Meredith
John Gavin — Steve Archer
Sandra Dee — Susie (16)
Susan Kohner — Sarah Jane (18)

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Awards

0 wins & 2 nominations

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Did you know

• This film, which focuses on the relationship struggles of mothers and daughters, was Lana Turner's first since a very public scandal involving Turner and her daughter Cheryl Crane. The previous year, the fourteen year old Crane had fatally stabbed Turner's boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato. Stompanato, part of Mickey Cohen's infamous gang, had been beating Turner, and the court ruled that Crane's actions were justifiable homicide. Nonetheless, the killing and subsequent scandal created a rift between Turner and her daughter, and seriously threatened to end Turner's film career. However, Turner channeled the pain from her experience into this film. It proved financially and critically successful, and served as a comeback vehicle for the actress.

• Lana Turner took a much smaller salary, than her usual $25,000 per week and worked for 50% of the film's profits, which earned her over $2 million (setting a record for an actress at the time).

• As Mahalia Jackson started singing at the funeral, Lana Turner lost control and fled to her trailer in tears. When no arguments could convince her to return to the church and shoot the scene, her makeup woman slapped her in the face, breaking her out of her hysterics. She then returned to the set and completed the scene perfectly.