The Color Purple (1985): cast, story & where to watch
1985 · Film · ★ 7.7

Released in 1985, The Color Purple is a drama, crime and history film directed by Steven Spielberg, running about 154 minutes. “It's about life. It's about love. It's about us.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s 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’s in it. The Color Purple stars Danny Glover as Albert Johnson, Whoopi Goldberg as Celie Harris Johnson, Margaret Avery as Shug Avery and Oprah Winfrey as Sofia Johnson, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.7/10, The Color Purple has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $146.3M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Color Purple page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Color Purple tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Color Purple (1985)?
- In US, The Color Purple is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Color Purple worth watching?
- The Color Purple holds an audience score of 7.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, crime and history. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Color Purple?
- The Color Purple stars Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey and Willard E. Pugh.
- When was The Color Purple released?
- The Color Purple was released in 1985, with a runtime of about 154 minutes.
