In the late mid to late 80’s to the early 90’s if you were black Alice Walker’s The Color Purple was almost a required movie to watch. In fact, in some school districts it was on the required reading list with Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. The movie adaptation premiered December 16, 1985 after the books’ initial release in 1982. The Color Purple was not Walker’s first literary work but to date is still her most known. Alice, no stranger to the type of adversity she writes about was born in the early 1940’s to two sharecroppers. The year following the release of the best selling novel it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Walker was the first Black woman to win the award in that category. Since it’s initial release, the story of Celie Harris and her family has been adapted into a movie in 1983 and Broadway play in 2010.
The Color Purple tells the Celie Harris sets in the early 1900’s in the south. The novel touches on topics that are still hot button issues today such as racism, sexism and poverty. As it starts we meet a young Celie, who by the age of 14 has borne her father two children. Celie allows her dad to have his way with her in an attempt to protect her younger sister Nettie from his advances. When her father forces her to marry a man she refers to only as “Mister” Nettie becomes her fathers target. Mister is violently abusive and generally mean spirited. He is also head over heels with a traveling entertainer, Shug Avery who makes appearances in their lives and home over the years. Nettie flees her father and runs to Celie’s home where she stays a while, happy to be with her sister and starts teaching her to read. After she turns down Mister’s advances one too many times he sends her away. Nettie leaves, promising she will write. It would be years before Celie would hear from her again. Nettie would keep her promise but Mister intercepts every last letter, hiding them from Celie. Celie suffers under Mister for almost 20 years, raising his children, dealing with his abuse and dysfunctional family.
She finds hope and strength through Sofia, Mister’s daughter in law and Shug Avery. One day after Shug discovered all of Nettie’s hidden letters Celie gathers the courage to leave Mister, cursing him with “Til you do right by me, everything you even think about gonna fail.” The letters revealed not only was safe and happily married living in Africa but that she was raising Celie’s two illegitimate children. Celie moved to Tennessee and opened her own business. When news of her fathers death reaches her she finds out that he was really her step father. she inherits the home and another business he had taken over from her real dad. Mister never recovering from Celie’s departure or her departing words, one day decides he can’t live with his actions any longer. He uses his own money and pays the fee for Nettie, her husband and Celie’s children to immigrate to America. The movie ends with him watching from the distance as the two reunited sisters play their favorite hand game once more.
The Color Purple was a hit when released. It stayed in the U.S. box offices for 21 consecutive weeks and grossed more than $142 Million worldwide. The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and 4 Golden Globes. The movie won director Steven Spielberg won the The Directors Guild of America Award for Best Motion Picture.
In 2012 on the 30th anniversary of the books release Alice Walker was interviewed about her prolific novel. She spoke on how it’s success changed her life propelling her into the spotlight and public eye. She looked back on what it meant to be the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize Award in her category. According to Walker, she though it was “a joke.” She goes on further to discuss the love affair between Shug Avery and Celie which is shown more in the book and play than the movie. Check out the full interview http://www.democracynow.org/2012/9/28/alice_walker_on_30th_anniv_of
Little Known Facts About Cast Members
Akosua Busia (Nettie) was born royalty, she is a Princess in her native Ghana where she is a member of the Royal Family of Wenchi. She is also the daughter of the Ex Prime Minister to Ghana.
Margaret Avery (Shug) Was only given the role after Tina Turner turned it down. Margaret continued working in film but never gained another role with the acclaim of “Shug”
Rae Dawn Chong (Squeak) Who played Harpo’s girlfriend after Sofia was taken by Ms. Millie is the daughter of Tommy Chong. One half of the pot smoking duo of Cheech and Chong.
Desereta Jackson (Young Celie) went on to act and direct before starting her own hair car line, Blacksilk Products in 2011.
