After a highly acclaimed debut in the US in December, The Color Purple is on its way to UK cinemas. But this isn’t the first major film adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel, as fans of Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film know.
The two follow Celie’s life and her journey toward self-love and overcoming trauma. However, Blitz Bazawule’s version has a few key differences that audiences of the first film will notice. Continue reading to learn more.
The Color Purple is released in UK cinemas on Friday January 26, 2024. You can pre-order tickets from Cineworld, Odeon, Vue and Picturehouse. US viewers can still see it in theaters, with tickets available on AMC and Fandango.
Spoilers for The Color Purple (1985) and The Color Purple (2023) below.
The Color Purple (2023) is a musical
If you missed the trailers, be aware that the new film is technically an adaptation of the Broadway musical, which debuted in 2005 and was revived in 2015. There are also a few original songs sprinkled in there .
Fantasia Barrino, who first rose to prominence on American Idol, takes on the role of Celie. Along with her heartbreaking and nuanced performance, she gets some stunning musical numbers that in many ways replace the lengthy narrative of the first film.
Fantasia is joined by fellow heavyweights Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks as Shug Avery and Sofia respectively. There is also very detailed choreography, with a large cast of swing dancers. You can get a taste of what to expect in the official trailer:
Celie and Shug’s romantic relationship is not ambiguous
The 1985 film is often criticized for downplaying the queer love story between Celie and Shug. Fortunately, the 2023 musical doesn’t revolve around the subject. The two kiss, wake up together in the same bed after a seemingly intimate night, and have several duets that make their shared attraction clear.
The musical doesn’t completely deviate from the novel by having the couple end up together – they remain friends and Shug marries Grady. Still, it’s certainly a sign that things have progressed, and as the LA Times reports, this interpretation more closely reflects Walker’s sources.
Monsieur and Célie have a deeper reconciliation
Mister is truly the villain of both adaptations of The Color Purple. He separates Celie from her sister Nettie after the latter puts up a fight when he attempts to sexually assault her, and he abuses Celie throughout their time together.
When Celie finally stands up to him and leaves, her life begins to fall apart. Eventually, he makes up for his past by paying the necessary fees to bring Nettie back to the United States. However, Spielberg’s film shows him doing this quietly, without Celie’s knowledge.
In the last film, after making the necessary arrangements, he goes to Celie’s sewing workshop to give her some photos and mementos of her sister and the children who were taken from her. He also buys a pair of pants he no longer wants to help the company, then wears said horrible pants to Easter dinner. There, he tells Celie that he has invited a few extra guests, as Nettie and her family arrive to find her.
While it’s not as realistic as the original, it speaks more to the complexity of forgiveness and the true search for peace.
Nettie’s Journey Spends Less Time in the Spotlight
In Spielberg’s film, Nettie’s adult life is explored in more depth: entire scenes are devoted to her missionary work in Africa.
However, in the 2023 version, we only see brief snippets of what Celie reads in the letters Monsieur hid from her, when they are rediscovered by Shug. The focus is much more on the main character’s journey and what she imagines her sister’s life to be like. In a way, this makes the final reunion scene more impactful.
The musical also leaves out a scene where Nettie teaches Celie to read. This event is mentioned very briefly at the beginning, but it is nowhere near as in-depth.
There are two new characters to note
A huge change Bazawule makes is the introduction of Celie’s mother. She appears in a flashback, teaching the girl how to sew – a skill that would later influence her career. She also appears briefly in a mirror, when Celie seeks advice after her father’s death.
Although the second character doesn’t have as much of an impact on the plot, it’s a fun Easter egg for fans of the original. Whoopi Goldberg, the actress who played Celie in the original film, returns in The Color Purple. However, this time, she plays the midwife who assists Célie during Adam’s birth.
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