starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery
directed by Stephen Spielberg
154 minutes
This is an epic story which set in rural Georgia in the first half of the 20th century and which follows the life of Celie Johnson (Whoopi Goldberg). She is separated from Nettie, her sister, when they are in their early teens. Celie is forced by her father to marry Albert Johnson (Danny Glover). Mister, as she knows him, needs her to take care of his home and his children. He doesn't care for her and is infatuated with a singer named Shug Avery (Margaret Avery).
Celie loses contact with her sister. Other people come in and out of Celie's life.
The first half hour of the movie takes place when Celie is still in her teens. She is played by a different actress for this part of the movie.
I'm a bit torn over this movie. This was my first time watching it. I was concerned, going in, about the length of the movie. That concern quickly faded because I was entranced by it. The movie kept my attention throughout.
I am aware that this movie is based on a book but I have not read and am not familiar with the book. It did feel at times like there may have been nods to things in the movie that were probably explored more fully or in different ways in the book.
I was moved by a number of scenes in the movie. The movie is very well made but it did feel like the further I got into the movie the faster it was moving. Things come together a little too neatly for me on too many levels in the last 30-45 minutes of the movie. It is Dickensian in that way which I think is exactly what Spielberg intended.
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