by Tim Gordon
The second film adaptation of Alice Walker’s celebrated novel, The Color Purple, tells the story of Celie, an African American woman living in the American South during the early 1900s.
The Color Purple is a coming-of-age musical period drama directed by Blitz Bazawule. Marcus Gardley’s screenplay is based on the stage musical of the same name, which in turn is based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker. It is the second film adaptation of the novel, following the 1985 film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Spielberg and Quincy Jones. Spielberg and Jones return as producers for the 2023 film, along with the stage musical’s producers Scott Sanders and Oprah Winfrey, the latter of whom also starred in the 1985 film.
The film stars Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Ciara, Jon Batiste, and Fantasia Barrino in her film debut as Celie. Brooks and the latter reprise their roles from the productions of the stage musical.
We take a DEEP dive into this holiday musical and contrast it with the 11-time Oscar-nominated film. Check out the review, below: