5 Colourful Movies That Were Almost Black And White

The Color Purple almost had no purple at all.

Steven Spielberg wondered how to convey the visual tone of the depressing cinematic story of Celie for some time since he didn't want to sugar-coat her tale. He and cinematographer Allen Daviau changed their minds once they considered how several colourful images could serve as contrasts to the movie's bleaker moments.

Celie endures a host of tragedies in the Alice Walker adaptation, from losing her sister Nettie to years of physical abuse. Spielberg thought a black and white depiction might be the proper channel for her traumatic experiences. He didn't want to take anything away from Walker's sympathetic narrative so he turned to another effective director for guidance.

While selecting the tone, he recalled how noted director John Ford showcased the beauty of the land in each of his pictures. Spielberg saw potential in the brilliant visuals of Celie's Southern location and found his tone right before filming began. He laid it out clearly in Richard Schickel's book Steven Spielberg: A Retrospective.

"It was going to be moments of sheer horror, but set in a tapestry of purple flowers and beautiful farm land and growing corn."

The director, then in the middle of his celebrated career, held true to his word. Striking fields of lavender blossoms and large stalks of corn further embellish the lovely setting that surrounds Celie on her somber path towards self-acceptance.

The allure of contrasts helped Spielberg pursue his vision of a project that chronicled the many shades of Celie's life.