The Color Purple (1985 film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Color Purple
Theatrical release poster by John Alvin
Directed by	Steven Spielberg
Produced by	Kathleen Kennedy Frank Marshall Steven Spielberg Quincy Jones
Screenplay by	Menno Meyjes
Starring	Danny Glover Adolph Caesar Margaret Avery Rae Dawn Chong Whoopi Goldberg Oprah Winfrey
Music by	Quincy Jones
Cinematography	Allen Daviau
Editing by	Michael Kahn
Studio	Amblin Entertainment The Guber-Peters Company
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	December 18, 1985 (1985-12-18) (Limited) February 7, 1986 (1986-02-07)
Running time	155 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Money made	$98.4 million

The Color Purple is a 1985 American movie directed by Steven Spielberg. It's a story about growing up, set a long time ago. The film is based on a famous book by Alice Walker that won a Pulitzer Prize.

This movie was different for Spielberg because he was known for big action films. For The Color Purple, he made a powerful drama. It was also the first time Quincy Jones created the music for a Spielberg film instead of John Williams. The movie stars Whoopi Goldberg in her first major role, along with Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey in her very first movie.

The story follows a young African-American girl named Celie Harris. It shows the many difficulties African-American women faced in the early 1900s. These challenges included poverty and unfair treatment. The film was shot in North Carolina.

The Color Purple was a big success at the box office. It earned $98.4 million, which was a lot compared to its $15 million budget. Critics really liked the movie, especially the acting, direction, and music. However, some people felt it was too emotional or used stereotypes. Some groups, like the NAACP, even protested it.

Even with some criticism, the film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards. These included nominations for Best Picture and acting awards for Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, and Oprah Winfrey. But it didn't win any awards, which is a record for a movie with so many nominations. Still, Whoopi Goldberg won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Steven Spielberg also won an award for his directing. The movie is considered a classic film.

Meet the Characters

This section introduces the main actors and the characters they play in the movie.

• Whoopi Goldberg plays Celie Harris Johnson.
  • Desreta Jackson plays Celie when she is young.
• Danny Glover plays Albert Mister Johnson.
• Oprah Winfrey plays Sofia.
• Margaret Avery plays Shug Avery. Her singing voice was done by Táta Vega.
• Akosua Busia plays Nettie Harris.
• Adolph Caesar plays Ol' Mister Johnson, who is Mister's father.
• Willard Pugh plays Harpo Johnson, Mister's son.
  • Howard Starr plays Harpo when he is young.
• Rae Dawn Chong plays Mary Agnes, also known as Squeak.
• Laurence Fishburne plays Swain.
• Carl Anderson plays Rev. Samuel, who adopts Adam and Olivia.
• John Patton Jr. plays Preacher, Shug's father.
• Grand Bush plays Randy.
• Dana Ivey plays Miss Millie.
• Bennet Guillory plays Grady.
• James Tillis plays Henry Buster Broadnax.
• Leonard Jackson plays Papa Harris, Celie and Nettie's father.

Movie Release and Awards

The film first showed in Los Angeles on December 18, 1985. It was then released to everyone in the United States on February 7, 1986. It was also shown at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival.

Awards and Nominations

The Color Purple was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. This included nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress for Whoopi Goldberg, and Best Supporting Actress for both Margaret Avery and Oprah Winfrey. However, the film did not win any of these awards. This tied a record for the most Oscar nominations without a single win. Some groups, like the NAACP, were upset that the film did not win any awards.

Steven Spielberg won his first Directors Guild of America Award for his directing. He was the first director to win this award without also being nominated for the Best Director that year.

More About the Film

• 
• List of American films of 1985
• The Color Purple (musical), which is a musical version of the book.