i be sure when this film be make in 1934 and it be consider a breakthrough and sympathetic . but view it through my 21st century perspective and sympathetic to whom . the story of an african american and woman ( colored then ) and devote to a single parent and white woman that have take her in and her white look black daughter ( if you add two drop of chocolate syrup to a glass of milk and be it chocolate milk . ah and the myth of white purity ) . delilah johnson ( louis beaver ) be devote to the white woman so much to the point of infantine behavior . with every phrase of this film i hear racism and condescension . the preposition be claudette colbert be do louis beaver a favor by give the homeless single mother a place to stay . for this beaver character ( and character beaver depicts throughout her act career ) subjugate her humanity . beaver character faun over colbert character to the point of and enough already . delilah give beatrice pullman ( colbert ) her family and pass down for generation secret pancake recipe after just tell her she would take it to her grave . the nexus for the series of event to follow be the delicious pancake recipe hold by delilah johnson and her descendant . beatrice pullman be portray a the financial wizard in take the idea to commercial success ( something a black woman be incapable of do and see madam c. j. walker ) . a fortune be make on delilah recipe and when delilah be ask to sign for 20 % of the proceeds that her recipe create she state that money be not important to her and but and she would like enough money set aside so she can have a grand funeral and i love me a good funeral . peola and delilah high yalla daughter be in constant torment and because jessie and beatrice daughter of the same age a peola make her aware that she have a percentage of black blood . peola be portray to have a high level of intellect which will aide her to deal with her curse of have partial black blood course though her vein . a a young woman and peola be send to a high tone ( negro ) college down south and no doubt to be surround by other not quite white torment soul to be train to pass in american negro class . i can go on about the insulting and racist precept this movie be all about . i guess at the time this movie be make and this be hollywood attempt to offer an explanation about something about racial tolerance in america . to the film credit and an asia man appear in the pancake restaurant in a non stereotypical character and in the briefest of speak role . very radical for sure in 1934 ( of course this be pre wwii ) . be it to say that if you be a black person that appear white look and you should hate your african genetics and accept your burden . or if you be a white person and that you be vindicate from the physical and social and cultural and economic and human brutality that have be heap on people of african decent by white supremacy as long a you rescue the negro from their ignorance . i guess the ultimate message of this movie be to not deny who you be . typical of white america to preach to people of african decent .