NEW YORK — In the musical drama “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.), author Alice Walker’s account of one woman’s survival skills and self-esteem in the face of grinding poverty and cruel patriarchal oppression finds its perfected ritual form. In that sense, to use an old-fashioned expression, the film draws sweet water from a foul well.
In fact, the attempt to wrap squalor in a cheerful package can be traced from Walker’s 1982 novel and its 1985 screen version through to the 2005 Broadway musical on which the current iteration is based. Thus the hard-thumping, Gospel music-inflected score consistently suggests that rescue and deliverance are always possible — and may even be on the horizon.
Yet, despite the status of the main characters as, by now, familiar and even beloved archetypes, the underlying material remains tough to take. Director Blitz Bazawule and screenwriter Marcus Gardley are aided in making the tale more palatable by the music and lyrics penned by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.
In rural, isolated Georgia early in the last century, Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as a child, Fantasia Barrino as an adult) has been raped by her stepfather, Alfonso (Deon Cole), with the two resulting babies taken away from her at birth. Alfonso then forces her into a marriage with Albert “Mister” Johnson (Colman Domingo).
Mister often beats Celie, requires her to take care of his two children and essentially controls her entire life in a form of chattel slavery. Celie’s sister, Nettie (Halle Bailey in youth, Ciara in maturity), lives with the couple for a short time and gives Celie some emotional support. But after Nettie resists Mister’s advances, he drives her off with a shotgun.
Although Nettie subsequently writes often to Celie, Mister intercepts the letters, deepening his wife’s isolation and despair.
Hope eventually arrives in the form of blues singer Shug Avery (Taraji B. Henson). She shows Celie affection — this leads to a fleeting, non-explicit same-sex encounter that, characteristically, cues an elaborate musical number — and builds her self-confidence.
While Shug’s minister father, Samuel (David Alan Grier), often shows his disapproval of her, church remains a safe haven, as demonstrated in the rousing song “Mysterious Ways.” Further affirmation comes from Sofia (Danielle Brooks), newly married to Mister’s son, Harpo (Corey Hawkins).
Sofie’s ability to stand up to Harpo and male violence in general is celebrated in the assertive anthem “Hell, No.” Yet she soon becomes the victim of a racist assault that breaks her spirit.
The wait for love and fulfillment proves a long one for Celie. But spiritual indefatigability eventually reaps its due reward — in spite of the most daunting challenges.
The film contains racist and other violence, including nongraphic scenes of rape, implied lesbian and nonmarital sexual encounters and a few instances each of racial epithets and rough language. The OSV News classification is L – limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Kurt Jensen is a guest reviewer for OSV News.