“The Color Purple”, one of the most important films about LGBT+ love

Watching “The Color Purple” is a necessary punch in the stomach in a Brazil that calls the loneliness of black women a mimimi, that erases the LGBT+ population, that denies racism. With a recently released musical remake, Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film is unfortunately current in its themes, it is still disturbing due to scenes that may still be from today, it continues to bring tears to the eyes of those who have even a modicum of empathy.

These are 40 years of Celie’s (Whoopi Goldberg) life that are very, very difficult. That’s why Menno Meyjes’ script is smart in giving the viewer a little breathing room right at the beginning. Just a little, some humorous scenes to soften a sequence of tragedies that begins with the protagonist being abused by her father, separated from her children and married against her will to Albert (Danny Glover).

Alongside her sister, Nettie (Akosua Busia), Celie still managed to have some moments of joy. But it all ends because once again the man thinks he has power over the woman’s body. The sisters are separated after an attempted rape, followed by a very powerful scene that announces an (even) more dramatic tone.

The passage of time brings new characters, such as the rebellious hurricane Sophia, wonderfully played by Oprah Winfrey, who produced the remake alongside Spielberg. She becomes the maid of the city mayor’s wife, Millie, played by Dana Ivey comically – but showing remnants of a time of slavery.

Millie and Sophia’s relationship is a classic bourgeois one: the white woman, rich and prejudiced, with an arrogant air of allowing the black woman to serve her. It is current to the point that it is entirely possible that it came from “Que Horas Ela Volta?”, directed by Anna Muylaert in 2015.

Oprah could be considered a danger to Whoopi’s protagonism because she steals the show in every way. She is the voice of female freedom against male oppression. She gives one of the strongest speeches in the film to summarize the trajectory of so many black women yesterday and today: “all my life I’ve had to fight.”

That’s why there’s no competition for actresses, because it’s a story of female unity. Sofia and Celie maintain a distant friendship until life throws them both into an embrace, a refuge from pain. It’s one of the few “I care about you, I understand how you feel” moments.

This affection takes on more intimate contours with the singer and diva Shug Avery (Margaret Avery), with whom Celie has a romance – who in the adaptation of Alice Walker’s book for the cinema surrendered to the prejudice of her time and gave little prominence to one of the main facts of the original work.

It is to Celie that she sings the classic “Miss Celie’s Blues (Sister)” – an anthem of female empowerment. It is for Celie that she saves the best moments of affection, attention, care – it is when she shows herself as she really is, brings out the best in her. Very different from her scenes with Albert, with whom she has a romantic relationship and friendship.

Celie and her sister’s connection with Africa crowns the story, brings ancestry and is crowned in a beautiful field of purple flowers. Available on Claro TV, Google Play, Apple TV, Max, YouTube and Amazon Prime.

By Ezatamentchy