The Color Purple

Author: Jeffrey
Location: Long Island

The Color Purple

Directed by Rob Marshall
Written by Kasi Lemmons

CAST
LaChanze as Celie
Audra McDonald as Shug Avery
Terrence Howard as Mister
Chandra Wilson as Sofia
Elijah Kelley as Harpo
Rosario Dawson as Squeak
and
Anika Noni Rose as Nettie

Tagline: The book that redefined literature is now redefining movie musicals.

Synopsis:
Pregnant again. Celie’s only solace is in her sister and the baby growing inside of her, but when her Pa takes her baby away from her right after she gives birth, his only words of advice to her are: “You better not never tell nobody but God.” Confused and helpless, Celie spends the next few years of her life with the comfort of God and her sister Nettie before Mister comes and snatches her away to become his wife. He wanted Nettie (and was already with that hussy Shug Avery according to town gossip), but he’s stuck with ugly Celie.

Celie’s life with Mister consists mostly of working in the field and caring for his several children. When Nettie comes to visit Celie, she is pushed away by Mister; afterwards, on her way home, she is almost raped by him. Although she promised to write to Celie every week, Celie never gets letters from sister.

Years later, Mister’s oldest son Harpo has grown a unique bond with Celie and brings home his new love, Sofia; she’s a prideful, independent woman who Harpo (through Mister’s example) mistakenly believes he can control. In actuality, Sofia controls Harpo and beats him when he acts out. Sofia teaches Celie that a woman will only suffer if she allows herself to suffer, although Celie still can’t stand up to Mister like Sofia would be able to. Fed up with Harpo, Sofia leaves him and is soon replaced by a mousey waitress in his bar named Squeak.

Celie is later blown away by the arrival of Shug Avery. Shug, although indubitably beautiful by any standards, is a wreck. Spreading salt deeper into the wound of his malevolence towards his wife, Mister invites Shug to stay at the house. Celie is enamored by Shug’s presence even when Shug tells her, “You sure is ugly.” A rocky relationship turns into an unlikely friendship between the two women, and right under Mister’s nose, it evolves into a romantic fling. Shug is only the second person Celie has ever loved, and she is spiritually reunited with the first when Shug surprises her with a letter postmarked from Africa. It’s from Nettie.

Nettie has become a missionary in Africa, but before that she managed to stumble upon the adoptive parents of Celie’s two children. The five of them went to Africa and have since discovered some shocking secrets, the most uplifting of which being that Celie’s Pa isn’t really her Pa; instead, Celie and Nettie’s father died before they had a chance to know him. Shug and Celie practically destroy the house looking for more letters, and when they find a stash of them it becomes clear to Celie that Mister has hidden them from her all these years. Infuriated, she feels the urge to kill him.

Also feeling the urge to kill is Sofia. She got into trouble with the love when she beat up the mayor in Georgia and got a prison sentence. It was overturned eventually in exchange for igniting in Sofia the one thing she wanted least in life: she would have to become the mayor’s maid.

Twelve years of suppressed anger and letters from Nettie pass by; then, finally, Shug gets through to Celie in a discussion of God. Shug finds God’s form ambiguous, and encourages not viewing him as white or black, man or woman, or even necessarily as human. God, Shug explains, is just a figure that wants to be loved. That’s why he creates the color purple: so people have something to look at and love him for. Celie takes this and finds her own religious awakening brewing. After their conversation, Celie makes a decision to go to Memphis with Shug and finally stand up to Mister.

It is on Easter that Celie stands her ground against Mister for his irrefutable malice towards her. She eventually leaves him speechless and accompanies Shug to Memphis with Squeak, who can’t bear Harpo’s change in personality since Sofia has been punished. In response to this, Harpo and Sofia reconcile after years of estrangement and Sofia finally, willing, returns to her husband and children. Likewise, in the presence of Celie’s absence, Mister starts to reexamine his own life and finds himself changing for the better.

Although she starts a successful pants making business in Memphis, Celie returns to her home because the man she knew as “Pa” died; her real father left his enormous estate to her! She has small interactions with Mister on her visit home, who has made a surprising effort to loosen up and make amends. What Celie doesn’t know is that Mister is planning a surprise for her: he is trying to bring Nettie back from Africa, and enlists Harpo and Sofia to help him.

But Shug has decided to leave Celie for a man. She runs off with a flute player for one final fling, leaving Celie not destroyed emotionally, but with more independence and a stronger love for herself. Shug returns just in time for a 4th of July cookout, which is disrupted by an unfamiliar family’s arrival. Nettie runs up to Celie’s porch and practically engulfs her in a warm embrace for the first time in over 30 years. Reunited with her sister, it seems like Celie’s life has panned out better than she could have ever dreamed even with the hardships she endured early on.

What the Press Would Say:
A Pulitzer-Prize winning novel written by Alice Walker was turned into a film in 1985, with much of its plot butchered to fit the standards of Hollywood. In 2005, Broadway rectified many of the problems of the film with a musical version of Walker’s life-changing book. Now, the film version of the Broadway phenomenon has filled in all of the gaps and issues with striking candidacy and heart.

Rob Marshall’s style might seem unfit for “The Color Purple” at first, but he has crafted a superb look at the life of not a woman, not a feminist, not a lesbian, but a human being. He has merged the visuals of “Memoirs of a Geisha” with the (considerably subtler) style seen in “Chicago”. Coupled with the screenwriter of the acclaimed “Eve’s Bayou”, who finally succeeds in producing an adaptation worthy of being derived from Walker’s masterpiece, Marshall has delivered the most surprising film of the year in terms of quality and awards potential.

The only member of the Original Broadway Cast to appear in the film is LaChanze, reprising her role as the protagonist, Celie. Although heavyweights (in terms of fame) such as American Idol stars Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson, her own co-star Anika Noni Rose, and Sharon Leal were considered for the role, Marshall could not deny the vibrancy and realism that LaChanze brings to the role. LaChanze is the breakout star of the year, turning her Tony-winning performance into an Oscar-caliber character study that begins as a weak, unconfident, ugly girl to a wise, proud, and beautiful woman.

Why doesn’t Audra McDonald get more movie deals? The four(!) time Tony winner and star of “Private Practice” plays a once-in-a-lifetime role as the life changing, sexy, successful Shug Avery like a pro. Nobody could play the role better because of the passion seen in McDonald’s portrayal. The character of Shug Avery is an enviable role for any thespian, considering the powerful motivation she provides for the protagonist. Another outstanding supporting player in Celie’s story is that of Sofia, played by the irresistibly charming Chandra Wilson. Wilson, who has been awarded plentifully for strong feminine roles in the past, brings her talents to the big screen and refuses to let anybody ignore her. Wilson is commanding and fierce, stubborn and proud, realistic and raw; she packs some of the film’s most powerful emotional punches. She shines brightest in the newly written song for the film, “Anything Else”, in which she laments on her impending service to the mayor’s family. Without a doubt, Wilson is headed for gold this month.

Rosario Dawson and Anika Noni Rose also provide much entertainment and heartbreak respectively in their cameos. Anika Noni Rose is especially effective in her brief scenes, showing that distance has not shattered her relationship with her sister.

Although adapted from what is considered a feministic source material, ultimately “The Color Purple” is a story about human nature. This common misconception may make it hard for the men to stand out, but the valiant efforts in this film will make that close to impossible. Terrence Howard brings a performance out that differentiates itself from that of the original show’s actor and Danny Glover’s film portrayal of Mister. He is much less subdued and more frightening, loosening up gradually throughout the film rather than abruptly at the end. Howard’s performance directly reflects his character’s relationship with Shug; she is the only person he’s ever loved, and when she begins to fall out with him, a transformation is visible. Mister’s son Harpo is played by Elijah Kelley of “Hairspray” fame. Kelley tackled on one of the meatiest roles this year, and will please audiences by creating a character so loveable, flawed, and different from past incarnations of Harpo.

Marshall’s adaptation of “The Color Purple” is unmatched by the previous two attempts. From its harrowing imagery to its uplifting finale, the story was Walker once told it is finally worthy of praise and adoration in all aspects.

For Your Consideration:
Best Picture
Best Director – Rob Marshall
Best Actress – LaChanze
Best Supporting Actress – Audra McDonald
Best Supporting Actress – Chandra Wilson
Best Supporting Actor – Terrence Howard
Best Supporting Actor – Elijah Kelley
Best Adapted Screenplay