It's difficult not getting emotional watching this film. The principal characters suffer racism, sexism, physical and mental abuse, and in Celie Johnson's (Whoopi Goldberg) case, the loss of a sister and theft of her children while a victim of rape. I don't know if it could possibly be worse for anyone, much less a person of color. The story is heart rending yet inspirational at the same time, as Celie perseveres through her misfortunes to become a person of noble character and inner strength. The race between her mentor Shug Avery (Margaret Avery) and the clock in that scene when Celie was about to shave or cut her husband's throat was one of the heart pounding moments of the film. Knowing what happened to Sofia (Oprah Winfrey) for sassing a white woman and knocking down the woman's husband, it would have been one of those life defining moments had she followed through on her righteous anger. A talented cast and an engaging story brought the movie a total of eleven Oscar nominations, and quite astonishingly, not a single win. The film's title implies that it's impossible to feel sad in a field full of purple flowers, and in it's closing moments, dares to remind us that even the worst of life's disappointments can give way to redemption and joy.
Review of The Color Purple
The Color Purple
(1985)
"Yes indeed Lord. I know something's coming."
10 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers