The Color Purple

Name: The Color Purple
Genre: Drama
Released: 1985-12-18
Duration: 2 h 34 min
Rating: 7.7
Cast: Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Willard E. Pugh

1985·Movie·PG-13·154 min·★ 7.7(2,058)

Drama More English titles

“It's about life. It's about love. It's about us.”

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.

▶ Watch trailer

Where to watch The Color Purple in United States

Can I watch The Color Purple in United States? Yes — you can stream The Color Purple in United States on YouTube Free, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

Stream

Rent

Buy

Click a service to open The Color Purple there. Availability last verified on November 9, 2026.

Where is The Color Purple streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	YouTube Free	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
India	—	Apple TV Store, YouTube, Amazon Video
United Kingdom	HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, HBO Max	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store
Canada	—	Apple TV Store, CosmoGo, YouTube
Australia	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Germany	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, YouTube
France	—	Apple TV Store, Orange VOD, YouTube
Spain	Movistar Plus+, Movistar Plus+ Ficción Total	Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video
Brazil	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Japan	Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, U-NEXT, HBO Max on U-Next	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, FOD

About The Color Purple

The Color Purple is a 1985 English-language drama film directed by Steven Spielberg. The cast is led by Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery. It has a runtime of 2h 34m. Viewers rate it 7.7/10 across 2100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on YouTube Free.

The Color Purple was produced by Amblin Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, and The Guber-Peters Company and made in United States of America. It was released on December 18, 1985, and carries a PG-13 certification. Made on a budget of about $15 million, it went on to gross $146 million worldwide.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Menno Meyjes
Release date: December 18, 1985
Original language: English
Age rating: PG-13
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $15 million
Box office: $146 million
Production: Amblin Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, The Guber-Peters Company

#prison#rape#sibling relationship#jazz#southern usa#africa#empowerment#adoption#abusive father#violent husband#jazz singer or musician#letter#cynical#incest

The Color Purple cast & crew

The Color Purple was directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Menno Meyjes.

The cast features Danny Glover as Albert, Whoopi Goldberg as Celie, Margaret Avery as Shug Avery, Oprah Winfrey as Sofia, Willard E. Pugh as Harpo, and Akosua Busia as Nettie.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Quincy Jones, cinematography is by Allen Daviau, and it was produced by Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall.

Is The Color Purple worth watching?

The Color Purple holds an audience score of 7.7/10 from 2,058 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.

At 2h 34m, it's a full-evening commitment.

If you enjoy drama, The Color Purple is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch The Color Purple

In United States, you can stream The Color Purple on YouTube Free, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.