The Color Purple
“It's about life. It's about love. It's about us.”
Synopsis
An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing 'Mister' Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
4K Ultra HD Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2023-10-17
Top Cast
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Danny Glover
Albert
Whoopi Goldberg
Celie
Margaret Avery
Shug Avery
Oprah Winfrey
Sofia
Willard E. Pugh
Harpo
Akosua Busia
Nettie
Desreta Jackson
Young Celie
Adolph Caesar
Old Mr.
Rae Dawn Chong
Squeak
Dana Ivey
Miss Millie
Leonard Jackson
Pa
Bennet Guillory
Grady
John Patton Jr.
Preacher
Carl Anderson
Reverend Samuel
Susan Beaubian
Corrine
James Tillis
Buster
Phillip Strong
Mayor
Laurence Fishburne
Swain
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
December 18, 1985
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 26, 1997
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$15M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$146.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
9.75x
+$131.3M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Screenplay & Story
- Menno Meyjes
- Original Score
- Quincy Jones
- Original Title
- The Color Purple
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 34m
- Production Budget
- $15M
- Worldwide Gross
- $146.3M
- Production Studios
- Amblin Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, The Guber-Peters Company, Quincy Jones Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Steven Spielberg
Menno Meyjes, Alice Walker, Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Lionel Richie
Quincy Jones
Allen Daviau
Michael Kahn
Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Quincy Jones, Peter Guber
Department Leadership Roster
Steven Spielberg
Director
Menno Meyjes
Screenplay
Steven Spielberg
Producer
Frank Marshall
Producer
Kathleen Kennedy
Producer
Quincy Jones
Producer
Carole Isenberg
Producer
Allen Daviau
Director of Photography
Michael Kahn
Editor
J. Michael Riva
Production Design
Aggie Guerard Rodgers
Costume Design
Quincy Jones
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Universal Public Exhibition — Unrestricted family viewing.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Color Purple.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Color Purple.
Movie Collection
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Roger Ebert's Great Movies
Every film from Roger Ebert's 'Great Movies' essays. 罗杰·伊伯特的伟大电影： 收录了已故美国著名国民级影评人罗杰·伊伯特（Roger Ebert）在其经典的《伟大电影》（Great Movies）系列专栏文章中推荐、评论过的所有影史经典佳作。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#092] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Color Purple
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Color Purple about?
An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing 'Mister' Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa.
Who directed The Color Purple?
The Color Purple was directed by Steven Spielberg.
Who stars in The Color Purple?
The principal cast of The Color Purple includes Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Willard E. Pugh.
When was The Color Purple released and how long is it?
The Color Purple was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 2h 34m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Color Purple?
The Color Purple had a reported production budget of $15M and grossed $146.3M at the worldwide box office (9.75 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Color Purple?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Color Purple was composed by Quincy Jones.
Is The Color Purple based on a book or true story?
The Color Purple is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Alice Walker".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Color Purple?
The Color Purple holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); IN: U (Universal Public Exhibition — Unrestricted family viewing.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).