Back again movie fans and welcome back
for Day 3 of Summer Blockbusters of 1985. It is a hot time in the
old town today as the A/C is running like mad and folks are hitting
the swimming pools and watering holes. This day we have a bit more
grim look on life. Okay I am watering down the suffering committed
in this film. The racist and sexist content is not for everyone but
it is based on the same name novel by Alice Walker (The Third
Life of Grange Copeland, Meridian, To Hell With Dying, The Color
Purple, Finding the Green Stone, Possessing the Secret of Joy)
and directed Steven Spielberg brings the story of two women in rural
Georgia in the 1900s and the struggles that their friendship got them
through. This is The Color Purple.
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| Yard needs mowin'. |
Our story is narrated by the trials and
tribulations of a good christian woman name of Celie (Whoopi
Goldberg of Jumpin' Jack Flash, Burglar, Fatal Beauty, Ghost, The
Player, Sister Act, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Star Trek: The
Next Generation and Toy Story 3) and her childhood friend
Sophia (Oprah Winfrey of Native Son, Lincoln, There Are No
Children Here, Beloved, Our Friend, Martin, Bee Movie and Selma)
as they have grown, they have experienced so much evil as her own
father Alphoso molested and impregnated her twice. With her sister
Nettie (Akosua Busia of A.D., Late Starter, Badge of the
Assassin, Crossroads and Low Blow) as her constant friend the
two remain close as sisters can be until she ages, a plantation
widower Mister Albert (Danny Glover of Hill Street Blues,
Silverado, Lethal Weapon, Lonesome Dove, Predator 2, Buffalo
Soldiers, 2012 and Death at a Funeral) scoops her up to raise
his children and treat her as a personal servant. Nettie is booted
off Albert's land told never to return.
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| Yeah no creeper creeper vibe there. |
With her letters and close ties to God
is all that gives Celie strength. Albert's old flame, a jazz singer
Shug (Margaret Avery of Terror House, Magnum Force, The
Rookies, Miami Vice, Blueberry Hill, Night Trap and White Man's
Burden) sick with fever and delirous, calls Celie ugly the
first time they meet. Getting to know her, Shug and Celie start
forming a bond and become very close. Sophia refusing to let men
walk all over her like Celie does, allows herself to be bated into a
fight with a racist mayor and his wife where she is dropped into jail
with little to no trial and beaten regularly. Umm what crazy
times??? Yeah I have no comedy for this one folks.
With Sophia free from jail, Shug with
her boyfriend Grady(Bennet Guillory of Dark Justice, Babylon
5, Star War: Jedi Knight- Dark Forces II, Charmed and NCIS)
and house servant Squeak (Rae Dawn Chong of Quest for Fire,
Fear City, Commando, Soul Man, The Principal, Chaindance, Hideaway
and Wild Card) all want to leave Albert's farm and do so
after Celie gives that man a verbal ass whipping he needed so
desperately. With the ladies ingenuity they manage a haberdashery
that brings the community together and outfits to walk about town.
Will Celie and Albert ever reconnect?
Is Nettie even alive? Will Celie's monstrous father die and burn in
the flames of Hell?
A few tidbits on the flick now.
This is comedienne Whoopi Goldberg's
first feature film, proving she mastered comedy so drama was a cake
walk for her and this was also Oprah Winfrey's first movie ever.
In spite of 11 nominations for the
Oscar this film did not receive a single win. Shame on you, Oscars.
As producer, Quincy Jones had to coax
Speilberg into directing when Speilberg said he didn't know a
fraction of the racial barriers or what the history of the South was
not deft enough that someone of color should tackle this given they
would relate to the source material when Jones pointed " No I
want you to do it. And besides, did you have to be an alien to direct
ET?" Can't fault the man's logic.
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| Handful of youngins to watch there. |
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