The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

9 May 1985 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

She's finally met the man of her dreams. He's not real but you can't have everything. [Video]

Plot:

In 1930s New Jersey, a movie character walks off the screen and into the real world.

Plot Keywords:

New Jersey | Waitress | Hollywood | 1930s | Roller Coaster

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 14 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Mia Farrow	...	Cecilia
Jeff Daniels	...	Tom Baxter / Gil Shepherd
Danny Aiello	...	Monk
Irving Metzman	...	Theater Manager
Stephanie Farrow	...	Cecilia's Sister
David Kieserman	...	Diner Boss
Elaine Grollman	...	Diner Patron
Victoria Zussin	...	Diner Patron
Mark Hammond	...	Diner Patron
Wade Barnes	...	Diner Patron
Joseph G. Graham	...	Diner Patron
Don Quigley	...	Diner Patron
Maurice Brenner	...	Diner Patron
Paul Herman	...	Penny Pitcher
Rick Petrucelli	...	Penny Pitcher

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Brazil:12 | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Israel:PG | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #27334) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Bertrand Island Amusement Park, Mount Arlington, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In an interview in Esquire, Woody Allen was asked why he didn't make a happy ending to the film. Allen replied, "That *was* the happy ending."

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Cecilia and Gil play and sing in the music store, the camera casts a shadow in the lower left that disappears as it pulls back to a wide angle shot.

Quotes:

Tom Baxter: I guess I have to get a job.
Cecilia: That's not gonna be so easy either - right now the whole country's out of work.
Tom Baxter: Well, then, we'll live on love. We'll have to make some concessions, but so what? We'll have each other
Cecilia: That's movie talk.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Back to Gaya (2004)

Soundtrack:

Alabamy Bound

Depression-era fantasy, heavily-padded but with lovely moments...

Mia Farrow gives one of her best performances as Cecilia, a Depression-era waitress with her head in the clouds who gets dumped on over and over; after a miraculous situation comes her way and promises a better life, she has to choose between reality and fantasy...although some outcomes are predestined. Luminous Farrow is at her most vulnerable, and writer-director Woody Allen allows her to be funny too, yet the film is a preconceived, bittersweet whimsy about dashed dreams; it's ready-made to collapse. In the interim, we get bland Jeff Daniels in two roles (occasionally working the same scene!), a whorehouse full of romantics, a group of acidly funny movie actors on a theater screen, and Danny Aiello as Mia's abusive husband. The theme of "Cairo" concerns the blurred line between movies and reality--it's a valentine to the magic of the movies--but the central idea plays itself out too quickly, and Allen's sub-plots don't always work (you can sense that he's biding his time). Wonderful production design and music score, some marvelous sequences. *** from ****