The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

Release date: 1985-04-19
Country: USA
Language: English
Director: Woody Allen
Production Co: Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions, Orion Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Rating: 7.7/10
Length: 1h 22min

Storyline

Cecilia is a waitress in New Jersey during the Depression and is searching for an escape from her dreary life. Tom Baxter is a dashing young archaeologist in the film "The Purple Rose of Cairo." After losing her job Cecilia goes to see the film in hopes of raising her spirits. Much to her surprise Tom Baxter walks off the screen and into her life. There's only one problem..Tom isn't real. Meanwhile Hollywood is up in arms when they dicover that other Tom Baxters are trying to leave the screen in other theatres. Will Tom ever return and finish the film or will he decide to stay in the real world?

Plot Keywords

film within a film, movie reality crossover, film industry, movie theater, 1930s, city name in title, color in title, movie studio, innocence, deception, abusive husband, ukulele, dual role, movie fan, nostalgia, surrealism, talking to the camera, magical realism, unhappy ending, urban setting

Short Review

Delightful from beginning to end, not only because of the clarity and charm with which Daniels and Farrow explore the problems of their characters, but also because the movie is so intelligent.