First version of Fannie Hurst novel which according to Maltin's Movie Guide was adapted by Preston Sturges (William Hurlbut is credited). Struggling single mum Claudette Colbert takes on Louise Beavers and her daughter and their life is never the same, especially when visiting down and out Ned Sparks suggests packaging their pancake mix. Race relations angle brave for a film of this era.
Eventually Colbert is romanced by wooden Warren William, but her by then grown up daughter Rochelle Hudson falls for him (it's this bit of the plot that you start thinking - hang on - isn't this Mildred Pierce? It may have been that James M Cain lifted some of it for his 1941 novel.).
Fredi Washington was a very light skinned African American, didn't have much of a film career but did co-found the Negro Actors Guild.
Er, what else? Merritt Gerstad photographed it for Universal with some style. It's most enjoyable.
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