Imitation of Life (1934)

Imitation of Life: Directed by John M. Stahl. With Claudette Colbert, Warren William, Rochelle Hudson, Ned Sparks. A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business, but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way.

“People, people, why does everyone judge this movie confection through the looking glasses of 2006?? There was probably some u0026quot;imitation of lifeu0026quot; to the movie when it was made, no matter how silly or stereotypical it might have been, even for its time. If anything, this movie at least attempted to show two women in business being rewarded for their efforts and hard work. Yes, the 20/80 split when the pan cake business went incorporated might seem unfair now, but it was better than the 1950u0026#39;s film where Annie just waits on Ms. Lora, dolling out wisdom with a spoon full of sugar. I was much more perplexed why Jessie would be interested in a fish scientist who said he was 37 but looked more like 57!”