Color Purple film review

 The Color Purple is a very good movie that focuses on the life journey of Celie, who has to learn how to overcome abuse and constant mistreatment. The film opens up with Celie narrating her life and talking to God. While narrating Celie talks about her relationship with her father, Alphonso, who has been abusing her and raping her making her pregnant twice. While Celie is giving birth for the second time in the movie after giving birth Alphonso takes the child away, as he did with her first baby. Celie believes that her kids are dead because of this. Celie’s mother soon dies and then her dad ends up marrying a woman who is the same as Celie. Later on, in the film we are introduced to “Mister” who goes to the same churches Celie and her father.  Mister approaches Alphonso and one day proposes marriage to Celie’s younger sister, Nettie, Alphonso pushes him to take Celie instead, forcing her into an abusive marriage. Nettie follows Celie to her new home with Mister. This new move only lasts for a little while because Mister tries to make a move on Nettie with sexual advances.

Celie is crushed by Nettie leaving her to be alone with Mister. Celie continues to take care of Mister and his kids, but lacks her own self-identity. Later on in the film, years later, an older Celie comes in contact with a woman named Sofia. Sofia is introduced into the family as the girlfriend of   master's son, Harpo.  Sofia is pregnant as she is introduced to Mister, and he disapproves. Although there is disapproval from Mister Harpo ends up marrying Sofia. Within a couple of days their marriage is well, but Harpo hits Sofia because of not being able to control her and advice given by Celie and Mister. Harpo fails at this, and Sofia confronts Celie about this issue. Soon after this one confrontation they have, they soon gain an understanding and become friends.  Celie continues her relationship with Sofia and hangs out with her and Harpo more. Sofia soon is taken to jail on day by cursing at a white lady named Mrs. Mallie asked her if she wanted to be her maid and her husband. Also, Sofia tries to defend herself by punching Mrs. Mallie's husband who confronts her as well. Sofia goes away to jail for a while. 

Soon Mister gets excited as an old lover named, Suge Avery.  Shug was a glamorous singer and was presented as an independent woman. Shuge isn’t in a good state physically, so she ends up staying for a while at Mister’s house with Celie.  Celie and Suge grow close, and they even share a kiss in the film as well. Shug plays a pivotal role in Celie's life through their various conversations and her time spent with Suge. Celie grows to see how a woman ‘s life can be lived and being able to not be so timid. Suge even helps Celie find all the letters Nettie has written to her that Mister has hid from her all the years.  Through reading these letters Celie finds comfort and also learns a lot of this about her life and Nettie life currently. Nettie is on a mission trip in Liberia and has also found Celie’s biological children. Celie gains more happiness and is growing in her character into a woman that puts herself first. Even at one moment Celie thinks about cutting Mister while shaving his face. And compared to her shaving his face when she first became his wife where she was so scared to accidentally cut him. Later on, Shug leaves the house finally and moves to Memphis. Celie tries to go but doesn't end up going because of being too timid to ask Suge. Celie goes back to Mister’s house and cleans and cooks as usual. But a turning point is when Suge comes back with her husband and then takes Celie with her this time to Memphis with her.  Mister is very upset, but Celie ends up leaving and doesn't care. Sofia is also reintroduced to the story as she is released from prison and becomes Mrs. Millie maid.  Celie is soon able to inherit her old house and reunites with Nettie.

 

  This film had so much to unpack and got me just watching it fit the first time was a very interesting experience. The Color Purple brought light to a lot of things such as racial injustice, sexual and mental abuse, and the state of women in society. We can see the racial injustice in the way that the white peoples address numerous characters such as Celie and Sophia in referring to them as “girl” and other things out of their name. Also, when Ms. Millie automatically assumes that Sophia would find it as a proof page to be her maid and touches her children as well without asking.  We see Sophia take the consequences to her own actions by her standing up to the white people when she is confronted for cursing at Ms. Millie. She was approached and antagonized by a all-white mob. Sophia was also hit in the face by the local sheriff in that town before she was arrested. This incident showed the ongoing tension and frustration that black people were facing at this time and how standing up for yourself as a black personality could cost your life. 

The second notable thing we see in this film is the mental and sexual abuse that is going on. When the movie first opens up, Celie states to God that her father said “you're going to do what your mother wouldn’t”. That rang a lot of alarms in my head when I first heard it and was crazy to me. Celie had been being raped and abused by her own father. This was sad to even think about.  Also, it didn’t get any better because when she went to live with Mister Celie was being beat, threatened by him, and sexually abused in my opinion for sex because he never asked her for consent. Celie stated, “he just gets on top of me and does his business”. Also, moving on to Nettie, and the way she was treated throughout the film. Celie’s father kept looking at Netty weird and following her around as she tried to walk down the stairs in one scene. Even Celie noticed it as well and that was motivation for her to leave and stay with Celie. It was almost like the father was scourging for his next victim being her. Also, notably after the mother died, the father married a young girl the same age as his daughter! We see this as a pattern though not just with Celie’s Dad, but with Mister as well. Mister dad as well suggested in another scene when Celie had finally left the house that his son go out and find another young girl to marry. They choose these young girls so that they can be able to manipulate and groom them into how they want them to behave.  Lastly, another instance where Harpo needed advice on how to “control” Shopia and both Celie and Mister suggested beating her. 

We can see the star of a woman shown through three crucial characters in the film Sophia, Celie, and Suge Avery. First with Sophia who is a completely different woman than Celie. One of the district differences that I noticed is that Sophia was protected by the woman in her family, and we even see that during the wedding of Sophia to Harpo where the ladies in her family guard her from Mister as he tries to approach her. This foundation is crucial and the support shapes how you will react to certain situations. Sophia has confidence and some spunk to her that Celie doesn’t have. Both of them had to fight all their life but the difference is that Sophia kept fighting and never gave into the norms of just this is how it’s supposed to be and that this is my circumstance. We do notice a change as she was sent to jail and became very silent and not as outspoken anymore. Celie, on the other hand, shows a woman who confirms to the norms and adjusts with it now being a part of her life. We don’t see Celie get the courage to stand up once until that one moment she almost cuts Mister while trying to shave his face until Suge Avery stops her. Then, when she finally took a stand at the dinner table and plunged the knife right up against Mister's face. I enjoyed this scene so much because Celie was able to get off her chest what she was feeling for so long, but just too scared to articulate before. Fear was running Celie’s life and it was hard for her to escape it. 

Moreover, Suge Avery played a pivotal role in helping Celie's life as well. Suge displayed more free women than Celie and Sophia. Suge was very independent and didn't have men putting oppression on her. In the film, we see her as this one woman that Mister actually adores and cares for. Mister even tried to make breakfast for her and check in on her when she was sick. Men were constantly helping her and failing for her charm. She helped Celie and changed her overall perspective of a woman with just how she carried herself and her actions.