Imitation of Life (1934)

This story is about two mothers who make a fortune together, and their relationship with their daughters. The story opens with a white mother, Bea, dressing her daughter Jesse, when the phone rings and she goes downstairs to answer it. Upon hanging up, she sees a matronly black woman, Delilah, at the door who is answering an ad for a live in maid. Bea hadn't put an ad in the paper however, but before sending the woman on her way, she discovers that Delilah has a young daughter, Peola, and because she refuses to abandon her, is having difficulty finding a job. Bea agrees to take her on without pay so that Delilah and Peola have a place to stay. Bea has taken over her late husband's syrup selling business, and goes out every day to try selling it. One day, Delilah is making pancakes from Bea before she goes out to work, and Bea really likes the pancake recipe. Delilah tells her that it's a family secret, but shares it with Bea. That very same day, Bea goes out and rents a storefront... to set up a pancake house. The business is successful, but not booming, until one day a homeless looking man walks into the store and Bea offers him some pancakes on the house. He then suggests to her that if she wants to make it big, she should take the route that Coke took and bottle it... or box it, the mix that is, and sell the flour to people. Bea loves the idea and even makes a smiling picture of Delilah the company logo, calling it Aunt Delilah (Aunt Jemima much?). And so begins the story.

The business continues and they make a lot of money (mostly Bea, as Delilah doesn't seem to get the concept of making money... why would the black character not want to continue living a subservient life when she could be a millionaire? Great writing here), but as the girls grow older, problems arise. Peola struggles the most in this film with her relation to race. As she is light enough to be taken for a white girl, she scorns any evidence of her black history... namely her mother. She wants to try to move as far away from the idea as she can and often tries to blend in with other white people and succeeds, until her mother comes into the picture. We do not see as much dissension with Jesse (because of course the white girl would be sweet and obedient), until Bea's beau comes into the picture. Jesse quickly develops a crush on him, leaving Bea with the difficult decision of which of them she will choose.

This was a good film... if somewhat racist, but remember that this is the 1930's. Delilah is portrayed as the sweet hearted, but not so bright woman who only knows and wants servitude for herself. Her daughter Peola is nothing like her mother and, maybe because of that, is always causing grief with her own apparent selfishness. That is not to say that she is shown in a negative way, but not much sympathy is given to her for wanting more for herself than the discrimination and blind hatred faced by black people in those times. Also, this film tries to position Bea as having this heart of gold for having a soft spot for Delilah and taking her and Peola in, but she shows little concern or care for them and their plights for most of the film. She will be around and make appropriate facial expressions, but doesn't actually comfort either of the two when they face hardship. I don't know if this was the way the part was played or if the actress just felt this way and didn't properly disguise it, but there is an air of inherent superiority in Bea's dealings with Delilah. Even at the beginning of the film when she invites Delilah in and eventually allows her to stay, I got the sense that she didn't like her and wanted her to go. In commonplace interactions, Bea is somewhat distant and slightly patronizing with Delilah, and then when she's doing something 'charitable' she over acts it. It's actually quite fascinating to watch. Then there is also the fact in the plot that Bea essentially stole Delilah's secret pancake recipe and exploited it for her own profit, and then even made Delilah clean the store, cook the pancakes for the customers, and be the face of the product, all for the honour of working as her maid and nanny. Needless to say this would be in the lineup of interesting film to watch if one were to try piecing together the history of white/ black relations.

Aside from the politics however, I found the film to be enjoyable. It falls flat when compared to the 1959 remake, but is still a worthwhile watch.

Apparently this was the trailer targeting the black audience of the day