MovieChat Forums > The Color Purple (1986) Discussion > awful, awful, and awful

awful, awful, and awful

posted 10 years ago by usernumber655321
9 replies | jump to latest

It is the most saccharine, sentimentality laden hogwash imaginable.

ALL of the women are portrayed as victims, first and foremost, and as noble savages secondarily. ALL of the men are simply savages. There, I just said in one sentence what this movie takes two and a half hours to pound relentlessly into our heads.

This is the sort of movie that reminds me just how apathetic and malleable the mainstream viewing public is. It is horribly depressing, but not in the way intended by the "film maker".

[–] SmokyBrownEyes 10 years ago

The book was even more "depressing" and detailed. This was Alice Walker's view of how Black women where portrayed in the South from the early 1900's so I'm certain that wasn't much fun (unless you're Shug Avery who at times had TOO much fun).

Ouch, mama that was my ear!

[–] usernumber655321 10 years ago

I am talking about the movie, not the novel. The fact that I have to clarify that is obnoxious.

[–] cbebopgrl 10 years ago

What!? Women aren't always super heroes? And men are sometimes disgusting savages? *le gasp*

[–] usernumber655321 10 years ago

The point is that the movie's illustration of the characters is one dimensional. It has nothing to do with "super heroes".

[–] heaintloveu 10 years ago

That's the same thing some critics said when the movie was first released in 1985

But alas there weren't very many mainstream movies about black people at that time

[–] PirateMetalFan 9 years ago

Samuel was a pretty sweet character and harpo was ok. Just listening to his dumb dad. Netty had points where she almost was a victim but fought back. Shug was good except for the very beginning where she was rude and crude. Also your explanation was two sentences not one.

[–] cosmiccharlee 9 years ago

Harpo was portrayed as weak and cowardly.

[–] saikano_75 9 years ago

How was Miss Millie a victim? Shug?

[–] 9 years ago

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