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The Color Purple

Rating

Director

Steven Spielberg

Screenplay

Menno Meyjes (Novel: Alice Walker)

Length

2h 34m

Starring

Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Willard Pugh, Akosua Busia, Desreta Jackson, Adolph Caesar, Rae Dawn Chong, Dana Ivey, Leonard Jackson, Bennett Guillory

MPAA Rating

PG-13

Basic Plot

A young girl is sold to a man as his wife and lives her life away from her family in search of herself and to break free from her prison.

Review

In our lives we often search within ourselves to find out who we really are and sometimes it takes a special person to help show us the way.

Steven Spielberg’s first major foray into dramatic filmmaking brings us an Africa-American tale of a young girl who is sold at an early age to an older man, Albert (Danny Glover), to be his wife. She grows up knowing only that he will beat her if she does not do what he wants her to do.

As she matures, young Celie (Whoopi Goldberg) relies on the companionship of her friends to remain sane. It isn’t until a young singer at a local watering whole, Shug Avery (Margaret Avery), teaches Celie about being herself and to stand up against he who is oppressing her.

Also in the film is Oprah Winfrey in her film debut as the Sofia, a woman beaten for speaking out of place to a wealthy white woman.

Goldberg, Avery and Winfrey are superb and each deserved to walk away with a 1985 Oscar statuette and Danny Glover deserved at least a nomination.

Considered the biggest Oscar snub in history, Spielberg’s film was nominated for an amazing 11 awards including 3 acting nominations and Best Picture, but failed to get Spielberg a directing nomination. The picture then went on to lose all 11 awards and tied “The Turning Point” as the most losing film in Oscar history. Spielberg won the Directors Guild Association’s award for best director, but “Purple’s” loss to the Meryl Streep-Robert Redford romantic epic “Out of Africa” is considered one of Oscar’s biggest blunders.

The Color Purple is arguably one of Spielberg’s best films. It ranks below only “Schindler’s List” and still leaves a lasting impression.

Review Written

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