It’s puzzling why I haven’t bought a ticket yet for The Color Purple, the musical.
I was introduced to the story through the movie first, and still believe this film shows the absolute best performances by Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey. When the film came out, I saw it over and over and over. My favorite lines:
When Sophia says “Get my children out of here”
Shug: I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple…and you don’t notice it”
Celie: Her entire dinner speech
Then I heard one of the writers in my feminist writers’ group comment how the movie was sculpted as a film about him, rather than staying to the story about her. So I knew I needed to read the novel. Yet, I resisted reading the novel because it was so long and I’ve had trouble getting into novels in general. I pushed through my resistance and Alice Walker’s book is among the best I’ve ever read where I learned that a way to write history into a story is to show the effect on the character’s current life.
As I keep re-watching the film (however painful it is), I could probably look at how the screenplay focuses on him, but director Steven Spielberg certainly lets the best acting come out of his cast – we’re there; and no matter how many clips I look through to say “my favorite” – it’s just too, too many. Who played young Nettie in the film? Ah! Akosua Busia. Who can beat this performance?
Alice Walker on the novel and the film.
I may be afraid that the musical won’t live up to the film or the book. Stop it. I mean really.
Next time the musical comes to Pittsburgh, I’ll be there.