Since its premiere in December 1985, THE COLOR PURPLE provoked constant controversy, debate, and appraisals of its effects on the image of Black people in this country.
The film also incited a face-off between Black feminist critics and Black male reviewers. The women defend the work, or more precisely, defend Alice Walker’s book and the right of the film to exist. Black males vehemently denounce both works and cite the film’s stereotypical representations. In the main, adverse criticisms have revolved around three issues: that the film does not examine class, that Black men are portrayed unnecessarily as harsh and brutal; the consequences of this will be to further the split between the Black female and the Black male; that Black people as a whole are depicted as perverse, sexually wanton, and irresponsible.
4 Comments
I’m sorry all this time I thought this movie and book was about a black woman learning how to empower herself against the odds of a lifetime of physical, psychological, and emotional abuse. Why is it that every time black women talk about their reality certain KenteKlothKlansmen get their panties in a wad talmbout some “Not all black men are like this how dare you paint us with this broad brush.” If you read the book you’d see the very clear examples of good black men in the story. The fact is that too many black women deal with abusive relationships. If you don’t want us airing out your dirty laundry then wash it.
I totally agree. How many have read the book? Obviously NOT many because there are clearly good Black men in this story. There are good Black men in the movie also. While it’s mainly centered around Celie’s transformation, it is about all of the character’s transformation. Basically everybody in the story and film had some ‘self-evaluating’ to do. And what kind of films are Black men making about themselves? If they want to see themselves in a positive light more often on the Big Screen, then provide it through their own efforts and they won’t have to worry about how others are portraying them. Tell their own stories, as Black women are doing. That’s all they really have to do. But that whining and complaining about their image looks juvenile. Stand up and represent.
Tommy Sotomayor
Stupid argument all most men no matter what their race have used fear and abuse to be in charge right now and back then it was even worse it’s the same now just more so as men lets be real and not be scared to tell truth