The Color Purple (1986)

Way different time then. Even the hint of anything gay or lesbian was a big deal then.

1985

She was Black, not Lebanese.

It was the mid 1980s, the repressive Reagan years.

I hated the whole decade, especially 1983 to 1989 when the 80s was in full swing and so depressingly conservative.

Glad the musical gives us the rapturous ‘And I’m Telling You, Celie is Cumming!’ as Shug fists her aggressively.

We were a homophobic nation back then, even in the blue states and Tinseltown.

I’ve heard the new movie addresses it with less caution and ambiguity.

[quote] Why was Speilberg so afraid to address Celie's sexual orientation. It was an important part of the novel.

It's so unbelievable, what with all the frank addressing of lesbian sexuality he did in both "Jaws" and "E. T."

Well, unlike Spielberg, Barrino speaks her mind about this gay stuff, “ “I don’t care who gets married or who you lay with, hang with or want to be like,” she said. “It’s your life live it. Now go ahead take this and turn it around but i’m still here cause Got put me here. Check my spelling and my grammer [sic] whatever you need to do. This is sad and im done with this media stuff.”

Spielberg is, and always will be, a big prude when it come to sex scenes, gay or straight.

“I basically took something that was extremely erotic and very intentional, and I reduced it to a simple kiss. I got a lot of criticism for that."

Asked if he'd do it differently now, Spielberg says, "I wouldn't, no. That kiss is consistent with the tonality, from beginning to end, of The Color Purple that I adapted."

The movie was seen as risky without the gay element. Adding the gay element would mean the movie would not have opened in as many theaters (especially in the more conservative markets), and it's marketability post-launch (DVD, streaming, etc) would have been reduced.

The 1980s? It was a gay decade in film, I'd say. See this impressive list (scroll up if necessary). The Color Purple is included.