Purple Rain (1984)

Purple Rain is a 1984 American romantic rock musical drama film directed by Albert Magnoli from a screenplay co-written by Magnoli and William Blinn. It stars Prince (in his feature film debut), Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day, Olga Karlatos, and Clarence Williams III. In the film, the Kid (Prince), a rising musician, grapples with his turbulent personal life as he competes with rival local musician Morris (Day).

Development on Purple Rain began in 1982, stemming from Prince's desire to star in a film: his manager, Robert Cavallo, commissioned Blinn to adapt plot points written by Prince into a screenplay. Magnoli was hired as director and changed several elements of Blinn's initial screenplay. Casting for Purple Rain was extensive, with studio executives attempting to replace Prince as the film's lead. Principal photography began in October 1983 and lasted until that December, with filming primarily taking place across Minneapolis. Production faced delays or schedule alterations due to a feud between Day and Prince.

Purple Rain was theatrically released in the United States on July 27, 1984, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It grossed $70.3 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Prince's score and its soundtrack but criticism for its depiction of its female characters. The film won for Best Original Score at the 57th Academy Awards and its songs "When Doves Cry", "Let's Go Crazy", and "Purple Rain" went platinum in the United States. Purple Rain, in 2019, was preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".