Review of The Color Purple (1985) by Luxo J — 29 Aug 2010

A rapturous, sweeping narrative of hope and redemption - easily one of the greatest (if seemingly unidiomatic) films of Steven Spielberg's career. Whoopi Goldberg's central performance as Celie is a force of nature - her subtlety and her gentleness are matched by her explosive vigor in the Easter dinner scene and the soaring finale.

Margaret Avery is equally powerful as Shug; consider the explosive joy of the "Maybe God is Tryin' to Tell You Something" sequence. Danny Glover gives an exceptionally raw performance as Mister Albert in his nefarious treatment of Celie, his boyish adoration of Shug, and his seemingly inexpressible fear of Old Mister.

The entire cast - Oprah Winfrey (absolutely divine as Sofia, beyond criticism), Adolph Caesar (terrific as the hobbling old blackguard), Willard E. Pugh, Rae Dawn Chong, Desreta Jackson (giving one of the finest child performances on film, not only in terms of her own dramatic intensity, but also in the believability of the transition from her own persona to Goldberg's), John Patton, Jr.

, Leonard Jackson - is magnificent and easily one of the finest ensembles with which Spielberg has ever worked. The Quincy Jones score is marvelous, along with the charming, speakeasy yarn "Miss Celie Blues.

" This is in no way a film which could be dismissed as a "woman's film" or even an "African-American film." It is a tumultuous, heartrending ode to the irrepressible power of love and the human spirit.