Which 1985 film directed by Spielberg is based on Alice Walker's novel?

The 1985 Spielberg film based on Alice Walker’s novel is The Color Purple.

The film adapts Walker’s 1982 epistolary novel, which follows Celie, an African American woman confronting poverty, racism, sexism, family separation, and abuse in the early 20th-century American South. Celie’s letters trace her gradual movement from silence and isolation toward independence, self-respect, and renewed family connections.

Steven Spielberg directed the film, with a cast led by Whoopi Goldberg as Celie, Danny Glover as Albert, and Margaret Avery as Shug Avery. Oprah Winfrey made her film debut as Sofia. Quincy Jones, who also produced the movie, composed its music, making The Color Purple the first Spielberg-directed feature whose score was not written by John Williams.

The film was a major commercial success and received 11 Academy Award nominations, though it won none. Its adaptation was also debated: some critics praised its performances and emotional power, while others argued that it softened or simplified parts of Walker’s novel, including the relationship between Celie and Shug. The 1985 film is distinct from the later 2023 musical adaptation.