Musical film 'The Color Purple' dances from trauma to triumph

[December 21, 2023]  By Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Following the fame of previous versions, Ghanaian filmmaker Blitz Bazawule was not sure the 2023 musical film adaptation of “The Color Purple” was a movie that he could make.

“It’s been a brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning book by Alice Walker, it’s been a multi-nominated film by Steven Spielberg, and of course, a Tony award-winning Broadway play,” he said.

“So, when you step into something like that, it’s very clear the bar’s incredibly high,” he added.

Despite his early concerns, after re-reading Walker’s novel, Bazawule was confident he could add something new to the story.

Following in Spielberg's footsteps, who directed the 1985 film, Bazawule's iteration of “The Color Purple” is the first that is based on the Broadway show.

Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, who starred in the original film as Sofia, and Quincy Jones, returned to serve as producers with a screenplay by Marcus Gardley.

The first film starred Whoopi Goldberg, who won a Golden Globe for her performance as Celie. This time around, the film stars TV show American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino, who was also Celie in the Broadway musical adaptation of the book.

The Grammy-winning music artist received her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress on Dec. 11.

Starring as Celie, Fantasia is joined by Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as young Celie, Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, “Rustin” actor Colman Domingo as Albert “Mister” Johnson and Corey Hawkins as Harpo Johnson.

The period-drama musical dances into U.S. theaters on Dec. 25.

Cast members, Director Blitz Bazawule and Alicia Keys attend a premiere for the film "The Color Purple" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., December 6, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo

"The Color Purple" follows the story of two Black American teenage sisters, Celie and Nettie, in the American South during the early 1900s.

Celie embarks on a journey to find her freedom after she and Nettie are separated by the men in their lives and must overcome years of abuse.

Domingo and many of his castmates find that the stories of Black women and their families navigating and overcoming complex dynamics are at the core of the film.

"I think we’re dealing with a family here. That’s actually what 'The Color Purple' is about. It’s about these women making changes through adversity and the men who inflict a lot of harm," Domingo said.

Echoing his thoughts on the Warner Bros. movie, Henson said that in addition to unpacking trauma, it is important for the film to explore Black joy.

“Our power lies in our joy. That's why it's imperative that we tap into it, and that's innately what we do,” she added.

With that said, Bazawule does not want audiences to think that the movie is only applicable to the Black community.

“Yes, her journey was specific to the American South in the early 1900s but there are several Celies around us. Sometimes we ourselves are Celies,” he said.

(Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Mary Milliken and Josie Kao)

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