FOR COLORED GIRLS

US, 2010, 133 minutes, Colour.
Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Whoopi Goldberg, Macy Gray, Michael Ealy, Omari Hardwick, Richard Lawson, Hill Harper, Khalil Kain.
Directed by Tyler Perry.

For Colored Girls is a very interesting film. It is adapted from a theatre piece by Ntozake Shange, first performed in the 1970s. It has been adapted for the screen by playwright, director and actor Tyler Perry, best known in the United States for his films for African American audiences, especially his Madea series. In 2012 he had a breakout success with his film, Think Like a Man. This film is very much Think and Feel Like a Woman.

The film has assembled a very strong cast of African American actresses, each excellent in their own way. Kimberly Elise is very powerful as the put-upon wife. Janet Jackson does a non-singing role as an affluent magazine editor. Thandie Newton and Tessa Thompson play two sisters, the former rather profligate in her need for men, the latter a student at a dance institute (managed by Anika Noni Rose) who has an abortion. Their mother is played by Whoopi Goldberg, a religious fanatic who is ashamed of her older daughter, disillusioned with her younger daughter and the abortion. It is interesting to see Whoopi Goldberg doing a serious role – reminiscent of her breakout performance in The Colour Purple. Loretta Devine is very effective as the rather larger than life manager of a centre for women in New York City. Phylicia Rashad, the older woman, is a wise adviser.

The men come out quite badly from this story, exploitative, rapists, unreliable and abandoning their women, suffering post-traumatic stress after war experiences – leading to one of the most shocking scenes in the film, a father murdering his two children. It is only Hill Harper as the sympathetic husband of the social worker (played by Kerry Washington), a policeman, who has to investigate the rape, who is a good man.

The full title of the play was For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. The play had seven women doing all the parts. They were also identified by colours. In the film, the women wear their distinctive colours. In the play, there were a number of poems, dealing with the women’s issues, providing insights into feelings. The verses of the poems are incorporated into the narrative of the film, with close-ups, sometimes with two women reciting poems and their being intercut. This is very much a theatrical device – which needs concentration for a film, and is perhaps too stylised and artificial for many audiences.

However, there is a great deal to consider in the film. The introduction to the women is effective, building up their stories, and the interlinking of them in comedy and, especially, in tragedy.

1. The impact of the film? For a women’s audience? For the African American women? For men?

2. The background of the play, its staging, the seven actresses, the poetry, a piece of the 70s? Adapted to the 21st century?

3. The work of Tyler Perry, writer, director, actor? His stories for African American audiences? A man adapting the piece by a woman, with women, for women?

4. The staging of the theatrical aspects of the film? The poetry, the recitals? The characters’ speeches? The distinctive colours for each of the actresses?

5. The strong cast, performances, dramatic? Their recitation of the poems? Their speeches?

6. New York City, the range of the city, the affluence of the magazine, the wealthy apartments and the opera? Middle class: the dance academy, apartments, restaurants, schools? The poorer areas, the apartment blocks, bars? The African American world in New York City?

7. The interweaving of the stories, the various links, their credibility?

8. The story of Crystal (colour brown)? Kelly and her visit, concern about the children, Gilda next door and her babysitting, Crystal and her husband Beau Willie? His relationship with the children? The violence, in hospital, her fears? The difference in her work, dress, assistant to Jo, efficiency at the magazine? Beau Willie’s war, at home, post-traumatic stress? Not looking for jobs, his drinking, the violent outbursts, talking things over with Crystal? Gilda and her help? Crystal and her leaving the papers at home, going to collect them, the clash, the violence at the window, the death of her children, her grief, scrubbing the sidewalk, her wanting to be alone? The outing, her blaming herself, Gilda and her asking her to take some responsibility for not acting on Beau Willie’s problems earlier?

9. Gilda living next door, her clashes with Tangie, her looking down on her, babysitting for Crystal, her affection for the children? Talking strongly with Tangie? Explaining she had been Tangie when young? At the end, her speech, her stances on responsibility?

10. Tangie (colour orange) in the bar, bringing the men home, not knowing their names, casual, her explanation of her needs? Her relationship with Nyla? Her mother’s visits, not giving her the money? Nyla and the approach for money, lying to her sister? Tangie and the money, rebuking her mother for her religious fanaticism? Her listening to Nyla’s story, giving her the abortion address? Her sister’s collapse? Gilda’s talking to her? Her need for men, the way that men treated her, mocking her? The social, getting her sister to come, getting Crystal to come? The reconciliation with Nyla? Her mother coming into the party – but no reconciliation with her mother?

11. Nyla (colour purple), at the dance academy, sick, indications of her pregnancy, living with her mother, her devotion to her mother, the scholarship for the dance, wanting three hundred dollars, her lying to her mother, lying to Tangie? The abortion information? The crudity of the abortion sequence – the abortionist, her continued talk, drinking, smoking, the sterilising of the instruments, talking about the instruments? The effect on Nyla? Her collapse in the street, in hospital? Visit from her sister? Her teacher? The party to celebrate her scholarship? Her mother coming to say that she was proud of her but not able to stay because of the Devil’s music?

12. Yasmine (colour yellow), her role as a teacher, dance, the dance sequences, her divorce, walking along the street with Bill, his charm, the meal in the restaurant, helping Nyla? The classes? At home, cooking the meal, Bill’s arrival, his behaviour, the rape, its being intercut with the other stories, her collapse, going to the police, the interrogations, the issue of charges? Donald and his helping, the woman policeman? (*? police officer?) The news about Bill’s death, his having been murdered? Going to identify him, her slapping him?

13. Kelly (colour blue), her job, Crystal’s children, going to the fertility clinic, her own story about not being able to have children, her love for her husband, his accompanying her? His work as a policeman? Their life at home? The death of Crystal’s children? Kelly blaming herself? Her husband reassuring her?

14. Juanita (colour green): big, her age, her relationship with Frank, going to her apartment, Frank and his leaving, returning? Going to Jo to ask her for a donation, the haughty treatment, her response? Crystal’s help? Her centre, the sex education for women? Frank, the arguments? Sending him off? Her experience, her wisdom, sympathy? The poems?

15. Jo (colour red), a self-assertive woman, poised, at work, the magazine, her wealth, hard work, Crystal as her efficient assistant, yet not knowing anything about her? Her treatment of her other assistant? The nature of the magazine? Her demands? At home, the relationship with Carl? Her life, her cold manner, accusing Carl of taking the two hundred thousand dollars? His apology, going to the opera? The scene with them sitting on each side of the bed, facing away from each other, the truth, the issue of apologies and Carl and his desperation? Her knowing that Carl had homosexual orientation, her observation of his behaviour, roving eye? Her demands on Crystal, being in the car at the time of the deaths of the children, the effect on her? Her donation to the centre? Her own personal freedom?

16. Alice (colour white), as mother, her white turban and dress, in the street, handing out leaflets, donations, Tangie calling her religious affiliation a cult, her God-language? Asking Tangie for money? Her angers? Nyla and her love? Disillusionment because of the abortion, the hospital, her walking out? Coming to the party, praising her daughter, but leaving because of the music?

17. Beau Willie, his war experience, his desperation at home, his moments of truth and love with Crystal, his drinking, violence, treatment of the children, loving them? Holding them out the window? Dropping them? The final glimpse of him in jail?

18. Bill, charm, approach, walking down the street, the restaurant, the savage attack in the apartment, the story of his death, in the morgue, Yasmine slapping him?

19. Carl, a broker, wealth, his marriage, denial of his gay orientation, his desperation and having to apologise to Jo? His affirmation about his sexual experiences? His future?

20. Frank, going back to his wife, leaving Juanita, his sorry stories? Juanita letting him loose?

21. Donald, love for his wife, policeman, his care for Yasmine?

22. The women assembled at the party, on the roof, their stories, the portrait of them together, the poems? The key issues for women that they represented?