Stars: Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Adolph Caesar, Rae Dawn Chong
Director: Steven Spielberg
Oscar History: Historical indeed-the film received a stunning 11 nominations, but no wins, a record that it holds with The Turning Point (Best Picture, Actress-Whoopi Goldberg, Supporting Actress-Margaret Avery, Supporting Actress-Oprah Winfrey, Original Song-"Miss Celie's Blues," Costume, Art Direction, Original Score, Makeup, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography)
Snap Judgment Ranking: 4/5 stars
(SPOILERS ABOUND) The movie, for those unfamiliar with either it, the musical, or the renowned book by Alice Walker, is about a teenage girl (Celie, who as an adult is played by Goldberg), who is traded to a man referred to throughout the film primarily as Mister (Glover) as his wife, but he treats her as his maid. Mister is abusive to Celie, as are her stepchildren, and the only person she loves in the world, her younger sister Nettie, is taken away from her after she scourns Mister's advances. The film takes place over a series of decades, and along the way, Celie meets a bevy of characters, most notably her daughter-in-law Sophia (Winfrey), whose strong self-worth and confidence is the antithesis of Celie, and the wild and uninhibited Shug (played by Avery), who is the true love of Mister's life.
Though the film didn't win any of its Oscar nominations, it's hard to believe that if "Best Casting" were an award the movie wouldn't have taken it. It's difficult to fathom a time before the world knew of Whoopi or Oprah, but it's clear from their opening scenes that they are naturals. Goldberg, with a personality and persona like the lights of a marquee, is the opposite in her opening scenes, and does a marvelous job of portraying a battered, broken woman, whose sense of the world was taken away when she was forced to grow up at too young of an age by an abusive stepfather and, later, by Mister. She carries that throughout the film, that stunted emotional development, even after she understands the ways of her own world. Notice how often Goldberg hides her face whenever she's experiencing happiness or joy-hiding any real emotion from the world. Goldberg's triumphant telling off of Glover's Mister at the dinner table toward the end of the movie wouldn't be nearly as "stand-up-and-cheer" if the audience hadn't truly felt that the moment may never come-Spielberg uses the film's rather extensive length to his advantage in this way, repeating Goldberg's heartbreaks so often that the audience assumes that a happy ending may never be coming.
Along the way, though, we get one of the more interesting aspects of the film. As someone who has never read the book (I know, I know-it's on the list), I don't know how much the lesbian-nature of the relationship between Celie and Shug is played up, but it's very evident despite the film being made in 1985 (had it been made twenty years later, it likely would have been the center of the movie-twenty years earlier, it would have been implied in a Tennessee Williams sort of way). You get to see Celie fall in love for the first time, and in an odd twist, it's the same woman that her husband is in love with as well. Avery's performance has ebbs and flows, with her best moments oddly coming from her shattered relationship with her father (who has branded her a harlot and refuses to speak to her) than with either Goldberg or Glover. Avery lets Goldberg do most of the heavy-lifting in their scenes together, and she's just a vessel off which Goldberg projects curiosity, joy, and lust. She does, however, get a dynamic song in the center of the film, "Miss Celie's Blues," that recalls Billie Holliday and Bessie Smith.
Winfrey, who only appeared sporadically in the years after this movie as an actress, gives the film a raw energy that would otherwise be lacking. Every scene she's on film, you are drawn to her character and to her performance. Sophia is not a woman to be trifled with, and a woman who will be honest, right to your face. Her "you told Harpo to beat me" speech to Whoopi is electric, and a telling moment for Goldberg's character, as it's the first time that she sees someone who was not going to back down to abuse. Her strong impression and gutsy nature make her fall, when she tells off the town's mayor when she asks Sofia to be her maid, all the more terrifying and mind-numbing. It's impossible not to look at this performance in hindsight without the lens of Winfrey's celebrity, which adds to an already attention-grabbing role, but even if Winfrey had only made this film, it's difficult to think that our draw to this character would be reduced in any way.Spielberg, who would go on to make a whole host of "serious" films, has a lot of his traditional touches in the film-the soaring melody, though not by John Williams (one of only two films they didn't do together, and the only film Spielberg solely directed that they didn't do together), is a cornerstone to the picture, and we get lots of wide shots of color and light. The characters, like Spielberg is want to do, are drawn rather distinctively into "all-good" and "all-evil" for most of the films, but it lends itself strongly to the story. I'm sure the book did this as well, but the ending falls into Spielberg's traps of sentimentality, with everyone getting a happy ending, which is great for the characters who have been through so much, but probably not nearly as realistic as the story should be. And, just to clarify, these are small quibbles, and small quibbles around Spielberg, whom I adore (I've seen all but five of his pictures). I just tend to like grownup Spielberg and love the Spielberg who deals with the worlds of adventure and "bumps in the night."
The film's eleven Oscars stunningly produced no wins, and while I've finished none of the categories, I can say there are a couple I'm leaning toward giving it. The costumes, art direction, and cinematography are all strong, but can't quite compete with Out of Africa, and even moreso, Ran. I'd probably say the same for the Best Picture trophy (sorry Steven) and the Best Writing. Additionally, Quincy Jones score is memorable, but that "I had a farm in Africa" opening strings from John Barry haunts my dreams and still recalls that train, though I may give some consolation in the original song-I've seen none of its competitors yet, but its strong role within the context of the film and bluesy wail continues to vibrate long after Avery's done lip-synching. Winfrey's makeup and in particular her hair is stunningly realistic as she ages in the film, but nothing can compare with Eric Stoltz in Mask.
No, where I think I'd most likely hand the statues would be in Best Actress and Supporting Actress. Though I'm missing 5 performances in these categories (that of Anne Bancroft, Jessica Lange, Anjelica Huston, Amy Madigan, and Meg Tilly), Goldberg and Winfrey give 5-star performances that tower above the competition that I have seen. I know that Huston in particular I'm looking forward to in the future (she did, of course, win the Oscar), but these two ladies start as strong frontrunners.
And now I'll turn it over to you-what are your thoughts on The Color Purple? Do you feel that it deserved to win on any of its eleven nominations? Who was best in show between Goldberg, Winfrey, and Avery? And where does this rank amongst your personal list of favorite Spielberg films?
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