Louise Beavers steals the film
In the 1930s, Hollywood was constrained by the Production Code from dealing in a frank manner with certain subjects. It is therefore unusual that “Imitation of Life,” based on the novel by Fannie Hurst, was made at all.<br /><br />The movie tells two stories that overlap. Bea Pullman (Claudette Colbert) and Delilah Johnson (Louise Beavers) are widows of different races with very young daughters. Delilah turns up at Bea’s home, having mistakenly come to the wrong address to seek employment as a domestic. Bea’s late husband left her in financial straits and she cannot afford the household help she needs as a working single mother of a two-year-old. Delilah offers to work for Bea in exchange for room and board provided that her own daughter, Peola, can live with her. As the women immediately feel a liking and empathy for each other and Bea can use the help, she agrees to the arrangement.<br /><br />When Delilah makes pancakes for breakfast from her special recipe, Bea finds them so delectable that they inspire her to open a restaurant. Bea will find a location, negotiate with contractors, and manage the business, and Delilah will be the cook, turning out her irresistible pancakes. The restaurant turns out to be a success, loans are paid off, and the women gain a measure of financial security. One of their diners suggests that they  package Delilah’s pancake mix to sell nationwide. Bea soon sees the potential of the idea and the product makes her and Delilah a fortune.<br /><br />As time passes and the little girls grow up, the very light-skinned Peola (Fredi Washington) has been passing for white at school. She is unhappy about the discrimination black people face and wants the advantages and opportunities she would have as a lovely young white woman.<br /><br />When charming Stephen Archer (Warren William) turns up at one of Bea’s parties, she is attracted to him and a romance develops. Bea’s daughter, Jessie (Rochelle Hudson), comes home from college on vacation and she, too, is attracted to Stephen. An awkward love triangle develops.<br /><br />The romance with Stephen is cumbersome and gets in the way of the more interesting story of Delilah and Peola. Their relationship, which becomes increasingly strained with time, is the emotional heart of the film. Without preaching, William Hurlbut’s script contrasts Delilah’s acceptance of the limitations America imposed on Black people with Peola’s struggle to escape them. Director John M. Stahl tells the story with the racial element never addressed head on. Instead, he keeps the focus on Delilah and Peola as they deal with how race and perceptions create unhappiness and even desperation.<br /><br />The film is very melodramatic and is what was once referred to as a “women’s picture.” It is also one of very few Hollywood movies that contained substantial roles for Black actors at a time when they were typically cast as servants, but in “Imitation of Life,” Delilah is a real person, a loving mother suffering as her daughter is suffering, wishing she could cause Peola’s pain to cease. When she confides to Bea about how unhappy Peola is, she never addresses her own pain. She is selfless and will do anything for Peola.<br /><br />Louise Beavers, who built her career on playing domestics in countless movies, is perfectly cast as a loving mother whose heart is breaking over the unhappiness of her daughter. With her warm smile, gentle manner, and ability to show the joy Delilah gets from pleasing others, she brings dignity and humanity to the role of Delilah.<br /><br />Claudette Colbert, the nominal star of the picture, convinces as both the loving mother and the smart businesswoman able to turn femininity to her advantage in a man’s world. We buy that she and Delilah would confide in each other and that she would treat Delilah fairly and with respect. The romance with Stephen is cumbersome and gets in the way of the more interesting story of Delilah and Peola.<br /><br />Ned Sparks provides some comic relief as Elmer Smith, the customer who gives Bea the idea of packaging the pancake mix and selling it nationally and later becomes the company manager.<br /><br />Modern viewers might be put off by how, even though Bea and Delilah and their daughters live together, Delilah is never fully integrated into Bea’s circle. At two points in the film, Delilah actually rubs Bea’s feet. She has no understanding of business and gives total control to Bea even though it’s her pancake recipe that has made them both rich. And she never refers to Bea as anything but “Miss Bea.” Still, the portrayal of Delilah is pretty enlightened for the time. The relationship between a servant and her mistress who become business partners and friends is delicately conveyed.<br /><br />“Imitation of Life” was a critical and financial success. The film reflects attitudes of the period toward race, but with a subtle touch. In order not to overstep her bounds, Delilah chooses to live downstairs in a huge mansion she shares with Bea in New York, doesn’t join a party celebrating their success, and continues to live with Bea and Jessie when she has enough money to buy a house of her own. A sort of time capsule, the movie illustrates how some attitudes have changed over time and others have not.<br /><br />Bonus materials on the unrated Blu-ray release from The Criterion Collection include a new introduction about director John M. Stahl, a new interview about Hollywood’s depiction of African Americans, a trailer specifically geared to Black audiences, and a booklet containing a critical essay.<br /><br />“Imitation of Life” is a moving story of a strained relationship between mother and daughter. Director John M. Stahl balances the melodrama with a light touch, making Delilah a real person rather than a metaphor for an entire race. Beavers’ performance is masterful, conveying a wide range of human emotions from joy to anguish, never sounding a false note.
The movie title "Imitation of Life (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.8 from 211 reviewers. 
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 {"Genre": "Drama", "Format": "Subtitled, Blu-ray", "Contributor": "Rochelle Hudson, Wyndham Standing, Claudette Colbert, Henry Armetta, Fannie Hurst, Warren William, Juanita Quigley, Fredi Washington, Louise Beavers, John M. Stahl, Ned Sparks, Alan HaleRochelle Hudson, Wyndham Standing, Claudette Colbert, Henry Armetta, Fannie Hurst, Warren William, Juanita Quigley, Fredi Washington, Louise Beavers, John M. Stahl, Ned Sparks, Alan Hale   See more", "Language": "English", "MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Package Dimensions": "6.69 x 5.39 x 0.63 inches; 3.28 Ounces", "Director": "John M. Stahl", "Media Format": "Subtitled, Blu-ray", "Release date": "January 10, 2023", "Actors": "Claudette Colbert, Warren William, Rochelle Hudson, Ned Sparks, Louise Beavers", "Studio": "The Criterion Collection", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : Melodrama master John M. Stahl brings his exquisite restraint and almost spiritually pure visual style to this devastating, enduringly relevant story of mothers and daughters..