Imitation of Life

1934
Approved
1h 51m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

5.8K

YOUR RATING

Claudette Colbert and Warren William in Imitation of Life (1934)

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.

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Comedy Drama Romance

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 ... Read allA 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.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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

5.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 1 win & 3 nominations total

Party Guest
(uncredited)

Alyce Ardell

French Maid
(uncredited)

William Austin

Englishman at Party
(uncredited)

Dorothy Black

Peola at 10
(uncredited)

Edna Bowdoin

Black Secretary
(uncredited)

Tyler Brooke

Tipsy Man at Party
(uncredited)

Daisy Bufford

Black Waitress
(uncredited)

Curry Lee Calmes

Black Chauffeur
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Fredi Washington (Peola at 19) was a light-skinned African-American. After playing this role, she was criticized by some in the Black community who labored under the misconception that the actress herself practiced self-hatred and would rather 'pass' herself off as white. In fact, Ms. Washington was an avid civil-rights activist.

Goofs
When baby Jessie falls into the bathtub going after her rubber ducky, there is an obvious edit between her falling in and the splash of water coming out of the tub as evidenced by the shifting of the towel and the shadows from the light coming in through the window on the tile wall behind the tub.

Quotes
Delilah Johnson: What's my baby want?
Peola Johnson, Age 19: I want to be white, like I look.
Delilah Johnson: Peola!
Peola Johnson, Age 19: [gesturing to mirror] Look at me. Am I not white? Isn't that a white girl?

Crazy credits
End credits titled at the top "A great cast is worth repeating".

Alternate versions
The original theatrical release print of Imitation of Life featured different title cards, including a title card containing a brief prologue, which read: "Atlantic City, in 1919, was not just a boardwalk, rolling-chairs and expensive hotels where bridal couples spent their honeymoons. A few blocks from the gaiety of the famous boardwalk, permanent citizens of the town lived and worked and reared families just like people in less glamorous cities." When the film was reissued by Universal in 1938, the title cards were changed, and the prologue card was removed. All current prints of the film, including those used for the VHS and DVD releases, are struck from the 1938 re-release version.

Connections
Featured in The Universal Story (1996)

Soundtracks
Nobody Knows de Trouble I've Seen
(uncredited)
Traditional Negro Spiritual
Lyrics by Henry Thacker Burleigh
Played and sung by an offscreen chorus during the opening credits
Played as background music often

User reviews114

Review

Featured review

Yes, it is a classic

I hope this film will be restored and put on DVD soon. It is a classic and a worthy addition to the film buff's library. Imitation of Life is not a perfect film, but considering that it was made in 1934, it deserves recognition. The film tells of two women, one white one black. Each has a daughter. Single moms and interracial friendships in 1934? Yes, it is true that the black woman, Delilah is subservient, but this is true to the times and she should not be criticized for it. Both these woman want a better life for their daughters and work together to do so. It is a sad, but realistic fact that neither daughter is happy with the better life. Delilah's daughter is very light-skinned and wants to pass for white for she knows in this era that the only opportunities are for whites. The later version starring Lana Turner is a poor substitute for this one. Lana tends to over act and the friendship between the two women is severely downplayed. It is true that in this film the camera seems to pause on the actors' faces over long, but this I think is a holdover from the silent film era when acting had to be done by facial expression instead of voice.

While this film is flawed it is a good film for young people in that it shows the changes made in our society both for single moms and for blacks.