This is the one where they robbed Spielberg blind at Oscar time to the utter embarrassment of movie moguls when critics' sentiment resulted in a tidal wave of abuse directed at the Academy's standards and procedures. This was the first of his unblinking portraits of social injustice that hit moviegoers harder than expected. Although Tinseltown gave Stevie his due for "Schindler's List", the magnificence of this flick still makes movie buffs wonder what the Oscar folks were thinking when this one got the bum's rush despite eleven nominations.
Whoopi plays Celie, a poverty-stricken black girl who is shuttled off along with her sister Nettie to Albert (Danny Glover), the son of a neighboring landowner recently abandoned by his wife. Celie, still recovering from the trauma of having her own children shipped off to live with missionaries by her incestuous father, next has to deal with Albert running Nettie off after she spurns his advances. She is left to her own devices in dealing with his habitual wife-beating as well as putting up with his wild and woolly (pun intended) children. Oprah Winfrey makes a memorable appearance as her spunky daughter-in-law who ends up getting maimed and doing prison time after refusing to kowtow to local officials in the Depression-era South. Just as it seems Celie is about to give up all hope, the appearance of Shug Avery is the ironic spark that helps her transcend her miserable existence.
Shug (Margaret Avery) is a blues singer who has captured Albert's heart, lock, stock and barrel. At first abusive towards the slavish Celie, she eventually opens her heart to the downtrodden woman and lends her enough spirit to set out on her own. Shug leaves Albert's home and takes Celie with her, and a series of decent breaks allows Celie to start life anew. A repentant spirit within Albert results in his sending money to Nettie and her children in Africa, leading to a glorious reunion and another triumphant happy ending by master storyteller Spielberg.
The use of gender is a major theme in this flick. Whoopi is the stereotypical Southern black woman of the era who is almost a non-person without identity, property or a future to speak of. Oprah portrays the high-spirited black woman who finds herself crushed by the brutal class system that locked both black people and women into constrictive castes that many found impossible to escape. Margaret, as the sexy black chanteuse, is able to use her charm and ability to manipulate men, turn the tables on them to transcend her potentially dire situation. It is Margaret who lends her spirit to Whoopi, and Whoopi who eventually restores the spirit of Oprah who shatters her bonds of affliction in the finale.
This is a masterful rendition of the black experience in early 1900's America every serious film buff won't want to miss. The sexual discrimination is gutwrenching at times but, like in "Schindler's List" and "Amistad", Spielberg always makes sure that the devil gets his due. It's a movie that inspires and uplifts, a true cinema classic, one of the greatest films of the 80's. Check it out and see if you don't agree.
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