Review of The Color Purple (1985) by Rocco C — 04 Jan 2013

This stunning and enthralling portrayal, directed by the marvelous Steven Spielberg, is a true gem for reminding the world of the hardships of the ancestors of America's black peoples. Celie, an uneducated black woman is mistreated by her father, her "Mister", her step-children and almost anyone she is forced to endure - aside from sister Nettie of course whose companionship, I believe, reiterates an important message: to love each other no matter what.

The brief injections of comedic satire in the picture enable Goldberg, in her debut, to show the world what she really is - a comic. A Golden Globe Award-winning and Oscar-nominated performance allows Goldberg to profess the destitute situation of the protagonist. One feels this was Goldberg's time to shine and really did thoroughly deserve that golden statuette from the Academy in comparison to her actual Oscar-winning supporting performance in 1990's Ghost. Nonetheless, the lack of real acclaim for this picture doesn't take away its drawing and moving storyline to see if, for once, Celie can really be happy.

I didn't really know the supporting cast of the movie, expect from Oprah Winfrey. Now, I was not expecting much from Winfrey's performance as time and time again you get the occasional 'pop' and 'TV' stars who try and make the 'transition' into film. However, I was pleasantly surprised of Winfrey's portrayal of a distraught and let's say 'difficult' housewife Sofia. Although her character, I felt, did in a sense perpetuate the stereotype of the "big angry black woman" which I believe the film was trying to move away from. All in all, Winfrey garnered both an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination.

One of the most beautiful pictures I have seen in years, and, not a single Oscar win, that I'll never know.