Imitation of Life (1934)
This is the earlier version of the 1959's offering of the same name, based on a story written by Fannie Hurst in 1933. There were however, certain alterations to the story to pacify the sensitivity of the American public. As we all know, the blacks were lesser beings in US then and this story narrates a friendship between a white and black single lady struggling to stay alive and to tackle the identity crisis that the black lady's fair skinned daughter has who is ashamed of her African roots.
Bea Pullman (Claudette Colbert) is a widow who drags her suitcase from door to door trying to sell her pancake syrup, the business her husband used to do before his demise. She has a demanding but loveable 2year old daughter. Delilah Johnson (Louise Beavers) accidentally lands at her house, wrongly, as she was looking for a job. One thing led to another and Delilah is offered to stay at Bea's home, taking care of her daughter while she work in return for a place to stay.
Fascinated with Delilah pancake, Bea decided to start a small restaurant with Delilah as the cook. Business prospers. Upon advice of a patron, Elmer, they decide to sell their pancake flour.
Time flies. They move up the ladder of prosperity. The girls have good education and Bea is the most talked about hostess of parties.
In comes Stephen Archer, an ichthyologist (a scholar in study of fishes) to one of these parties and love blossoms.
Fredi Washington acts as Delilah's daughter, Phoela. She cannot stand her mother's appearance and her black school. The later part of the movie deals with the showdown between Delilah and Phoela as well as between Bea and her daughter, Jessie who falls for Stephen!
In the end, Bea decides not to wed Stephen for her daughter's sake. Delilah dies and Peola returns to the fold of the family.
I was surprised that in 1934, they had already released talking movies (talkies). In fact, commercial production of talkies went as far as 1920s.
Claudette Colbert, the heroine, had a very successful acting career that lasted till the 1980s! (1919 all the way to 1987!) Lousie Beavers was such a loveable character. Fredi Washington, as her daughter, went on to be a civil right worker.
This is the earlier version of the 1959's offering of the same name, based on a story written by Fannie Hurst in 1933. There were however, certain alterations to the story to pacify the sensitivity of the American public. As we all know, the blacks were lesser beings in US then and this story narrates a friendship between a white and black single lady struggling to stay alive and to tackle the identity crisis that the black lady's fair skinned daughter has who is ashamed of her African roots.
Bea Pullman (Claudette Colbert) is a widow who drags her suitcase from door to door trying to sell her pancake syrup, the business her husband used to do before his demise. She has a demanding but loveable 2year old daughter. Delilah Johnson (Louise Beavers) accidentally lands at her house, wrongly, as she was looking for a job. One thing led to another and Delilah is offered to stay at Bea's home, taking care of her daughter while she work in return for a place to stay. |
Louise Beavers - one of the pioneer black actors to set
the mold for others to follow. She reminds you of Mammy
(Hattie McDaniel), the maid in Gone with the wind (1939).
|
Time flies. They move up the ladder of prosperity. The girls have good education and Bea is the most talked about hostess of parties.
In comes Stephen Archer, an ichthyologist (a scholar in study of fishes) to one of these parties and love blossoms.
Fredi Washington acts as Delilah's daughter, Phoela. She cannot stand her mother's appearance and her black school. The later part of the movie deals with the showdown between Delilah and Phoela as well as between Bea and her daughter, Jessie who falls for Stephen!
In the end, Bea decides not to wed Stephen for her daughter's sake. Delilah dies and Peola returns to the fold of the family.I was surprised that in 1934, they had already released talking movies (talkies). In fact, commercial production of talkies went as far as 1920s.
Claudette Colbert, the heroine, had a very successful acting career that lasted till the 1980s! (1919 all the way to 1987!) Lousie Beavers was such a loveable character. Fredi Washington, as her daughter, went on to be a civil right worker.
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