Far worse films than Steven Spielberg's laudable if problematic adaptation of Alice Walker's novel have been treated much less harshly. This film, which introduced Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey to national audiences, has been unfairly attacked as an ill-considered and unseemly plea
for "serious" consideration from an extremely successful young filmmaker better known for fantasy adventure films. Though a commercial success, this was one of the few major Hollywood dramas to concern itself with the lives of black women. Where are the subsequent black female films? Similarly, it
soft-pedals the novel's lesbianism but how many subsequent Hollywood films have done be...
Released:
1985
Rated:
PG-13
Length:
152 mins