Imitation of Life

Susie! Susie!

Susie!

The most sensational...

Susie!

Pardon me. Have you seen a little girl in a blue sunsuit?

Oh!

Oh, I'm awfully sorry. No harm done.

I'm looking for my daughter. Have you seen a little girl all by herself?

No, but if you'll... She's lost and I... Susie!

Relax, lady. Take it easy. Susie!

The easiest way to find Susie is to go to the police.

Well, where are the police?

Right there.

Right where? Right down there under the pier.

You're it!

Come, children.

You hear me, Sarah Jane? Hot dogs!

Oh, boy! Come on! Boy! Hot dogs!

It might be the noise of that old ocean, but it seems to me I didn't hear thank you.

I was too hungry. Thank you! Thank you!

Honey, you gonna be all right. I reported you.

Come on, Sarah Jane! No, you're gonna stay right here.

Oh! Else how your mama gonna find you?

Susie! Oh, Susie!

Oh, my baby! Oh, I thought you were lost.

Thank you, Officer. Thank you very much.

And thank you for being so kind, Mrs... Johnson.

I'm Lora Meredith. I've never been so frightened in my life.

One moment I had her, and the next moment she was gone.

Thank Mrs. Johnson for being so nice. Thank you!

And say good-bye to the little girl. Good-bye? Now?

But, darling, we have to go back to the city. But we wanna play!

Please? Please, Mommy, please!

Oh, all right. But only for a little while.

Come on, Sarah Jane!

You're it! You're it!

You're it! You're it!

Susie doesn't have many children to play with where we live.

I guess Sarah Jane's kind of lonesome too.

They got along fine right off.

Sarah Jane's a lovely child. How long have you taken care of her?

All her life.

Oh, I wish I had someone to look after Susie.

A maid to live in? Someone to take care of your little girl?

A strong, healthy, settled-down woman...

who eats like a bird and doesn't care if she gets no time off...

and will work real cheap?

Well, yes, if one exists. Oh, someday.

Why not today? I'm available.

You? Me. Annie Johnson.

You mean you'd consider leaving that lovely little girl?

Oh, I wouldn't be leaving her. My baby goes where I go.

Sarah Jane is your child?

Yes, ma'am. It surprises most people.

Sarah Jane favors her daddy. He was practically white.

He left before she was born.

Seems to me, Miss Meredith, I'm just right for you.

You wouldn't have to pay no wages. Just let me come and do for you.

I couldn't do that. I'd have to pay you, and I... can't now.

Susie!

I ought to knock your blocks off.

I'll take care of it, mister. I'll wham the hides off both of them.

Susie! What are you doing? About time you showed up!

If your husband can't keep these brats in line...

No use talking to her. She not only spoils them, she goes around losing them.

I don't know what this is all about.

Mommy, look at his stomach. It went up and down. It was so funny.

He took our picture. Will you send me one?

Me too. Sure. Where?

Send it to Susan Meredith, 450 Prescott Place, Apartment 32.

Never mind, dear. See? I remembered.

Thank you. And send her one too. Where do you live, Sarah Jane?

Where do I live... No place.

We'll find a place come night, honey.

Come on, darling, we have to go. Say good-bye to Sarah Jane and Mrs. Johnson.

Good-bye. It was very nice meeting you.

Same here. And good luck, Miss Meredith.

Mommy, I'm tired. I know, baby.

I know. I wanna go home too!

Come on, honey.

Thank you. Mrs. Johnson.

Oh. Oh, come on.

First.

I don't like to mention it again, but you must understand that...

this arrangement can only be for tonight.

Oh, I understand, Miss Lora.

There must be plenty of jobs for a woman like you.

But people won't take in a woman with a child.

And no matter what, I won't be separated from my baby.

Hurry up, Mother. I want to show Sarah Jane my dolls!

Well, all right.

There's a little place off the kitchen.

But you could, uh, hardly call it a room.

Oh, it'll do for Sarah Jane and me.

And the kitchen, we can make use of that too.

I'll get you some pillows and blankets. Thank you.

Here, Sarah Jane, you can have Nancy.

It's a present. Mommy just got it for me. I want that one.

Frieda's my friend. I've had her all my life.

Mommy! Mommy! Yes?

She took my doll! Oh.

Sarah Jane. Where are your manners? Now give it back.

I don't want the black one. I'll take those.

It's been a long day and they're both tired and cranky.

Yes, Miss Lora. Everything will be all right.

Come on, come on.

Come on.

I don't wanna live in the back.

Why do we always have to live in the back? Shh, honey.

Thank you, Mr. McKinney.

Shh. Good-bye.

Shh!

Good morning, darling.

Good morning, Sarah Jane. I want a kiss too.

Well, of course.

Annie said we had to be quiet until you got up.

Now we can talk out loud. Now we can even scream.

Children!

Children! What...

Oh, good morning, Miss Lora. Good morning.

How are you this morning? Just fine.

I'd love some coffee.

Well, Annie, you shouldn't have done my laundry.

I like taking care of pretty things.

Thank you.

Eggs? Where did they come from?

The milkman was here a minute ago.

I told him to leave your regular order.

Oh, no. He didn't come to leave my order. He stopped doing that two weeks ago.

May I? Thank you.

He wanted to collect something on his bill.

Didn't say anything about a bill to me. He was very polite.

Gave me the order and said, looked like things were picking up.

He thought you were my maid. Now he thinks I'm prosperous.

No sin in lookin' prosperous. Just a way of showin' your trust in the lord.

Telling him you're ready whenever he is.

I'll get it, Miss Lora.

Miss Meredith's residence.

I'll see if it's convenient for Miss Meredith to come to the phone.

Is it the landlord Mr. Berwitt?

Pretty sure he said the A-Acme Model Agency.

Hello?

Yes, this is Miss Meredith.

Yes. Yes, I can be there by then.

Fine. Thank you.

Oh, Annie, I've got a job modeling.

A job?

I've registered everywhere. But this is the first call.

Now, isn't that fine?

Annie, if you have no other plans, will you stay with Susie until I come back?

Why, certainly.

Do you know this will be the first money I've earned since I came to New York?

Except for those envelopes.

I was wondering what they were. I address them for a mail-order house.

By hand. It gives them a personal touch, and I can do them at home.

They should have been finished yesterday. Well, can't be helped.

If I get a job modeling, at least I'll be seen.

Good boy.

Yes, that's fine. That's what I want. Hold it. Beautiful.

Just a minute. Hold it.

How could you sneeze? I had it.

I'm sorry, but it must be this flea powder.

No, no, no. Don't move. You'll unfocus me.

Art they want and I get sneezes.

Now, don't move a hair. Not one hair.

Hold it, hold it.

Okay.

Got it. Perfect.

You were wonderful, Henry. I never sneeze. Really...

Your check will be in the mail.

It would be so much more convenient... Checks are mailed on Thursday.

We don't want to confuse the bookkeeper.

Don't forget to leave the wardrobe.

But wouldn't you like to have a bite to eat?

Later. Thanks.

You can keep the money from this batch, Annie.

It'll pay you for staying today and cooking and...

Uh-uh. That money goes into our kitty.

"Our"?

Seems as if you intend to stay.

Seems like I do, if, if you want it.

You know I do. But you can see how bad things are.

Miss Lora, we just come from a place where,

where my color deviled my baby.

Now, anything happens here has gotta be better.

Oh, Annie. Oh.

Susie? Susie? I'm home...

Oh, baby. Mmm. Hi, dear.

Hello, Miss Lora. Hello, Annie.

Mommy, we had such fun today. Annie took us to the park and we caught a squirrel.

No, we didn't. Well, we nearly did.

Tomorrow I'll take you both to the park and we'll really catch one.

How'd it go? Oh, Annie.

It didn't.

And I'm exhausted.

Walked my feet off trying to see every agent on Broadway.

And some off Broadway. Way off.

I'll get it.

The children have eaten.

Yes? Hello, this is Steve Archer.