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

Release Year: 1985

Rating: 7.7/10 (18,491 voted)

Critic's Score: 75/100

Director: Woody Allen

Stars: Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello

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?

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

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

Release Date: 9 May 1985

Filming Locations: Bertrand Island Amusement Park, Mount Arlington, New Jersey, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $114,095 (USA) (3 March 1985) (3 Screens)

Gross: $10,631,333 (USA) (21 July 1985)

Runtime: 82 min

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:
[first lines]
Theater Manager: Oh Cecilia, be careful! You all right?
Cecilia: Yeah.
Theater Manager: You're gonna like this one, it's better than last week's, more romantic.

Fresh and inventive Woody.

Rating: 9/10

The Purple Rose of Cairo really does rate up there with Woody's best - from Annie Hall, Manhattan to the earlier, more slapstick efforts, such as Love and Death and Sleeper. Cairo happens to be one of the best 80's movies Woody actually made - Crimes and Misdeameanours and Braodway Danny Rose being other greats.

The reason why I think that Cairo is better than the other 80's efforts is that the idea is really inventive. The movie raises so many questions of reality and fantasy, but does so in a highly surreal fashion. The switching of scenes, from reality to fantasy (movie) made me realise where movies take us as a viewer. Cecelia finds solace in the world of movies and comes up against the decision of which is better - the perfect world of movie, or reality, where things are never certain.

Jeff Daniels is so enigmatic in this movie. Not only as Tom, the screen legend, but as Gil the actor. Two very different characters, both played brilliantly. Mia Farrow is great as usual, and shows how broad her talent is (Broadway Danny Rose and Radio Days - both very different characters. Danny Aiello is good as the lazy slob-of-a-husband, Monk.

Like Radio Days, Woody isn't actually on screen (he narrated Radio Days, mind) and in a way this eased me up. Woody is fantastic when he is on screen, but this film benefited from losing his neurotic nature, and instead concentrated on the era, the love of movies and the complex themes of a movie within a movie. I will admit, some neurosis is retained in the dialogue (talk of morality to prostitutes!) - and this added to the surreal nature of the movie.

This has to be one of my favourite films Woody has directed. Annie Hall probably being my fave, Manhattan, Crimes and Misdeamenours and Sleeper following. Cairo is so constantly fresh and inventive, I couldn't help being captivated during it's short running time. I recommend this to any fan - or any lover of movies themselves. A real treat.

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