The Purple Rose Of Cairo (PG)
Grade: A+
- Directed by: Woody Allen
- Produced by: Robert Greenhut
- Screenplay by: Woody Allen
- Starring: Mia Farrow (Cecilia), Jeff Daniels (Tom Baxter/Gil Shephard), Danny Aiello (Monk), Edward Herrmann (Henry), Milo O'Shea (Father Donnelly), Dianne Wiest (Emma), George Martin (Movie Audience)
- Cinematographer: Gordon Willis
- Music by: Dick Hyman
- Distributed by: Orion Pictures
- Released: March 1, 1985
- Running Time: 82 minutes/1 hour and 22 minutes
- Language: English
"I want what happened in the movie last week to happen this week; otherwise, what's life all about anyways?"
-Moviegoer
Roses are red, violets are blue, but in Woody Allen's film, "The Purple Rose Of Cairo", the rose is purple, and being searched for by an archaeologist named Tom Baxter in Egypt. He's a cheerful guy, liked by everyone, so he is brought to the states where the film commences. But that's not what the film is really about. That's what is happening in the film Cecilia is watching. She's a nice girl, but she's clumsy and naive at work, always dropping dishes and daydreaming. While at home, she constantly faces the abuse and ridicule of her husband Monk. There's no good situation for her, so she goes to the movies to find solace, only to one day have Tom Baxter leave the screen to join her in the real world, causing all sorts of trouble for Cecilia and Gil Shephard, the actor who plays Tom.
Woody Allen's films always touch close to real life because his films are about themes we deal with, whether it's love, friendship, sex, etc, but in this film, he is literally having the character in the film of a film come out into the real world of his film (sorry if that didn't make any sense). It's genius because of the idea and the fact that isn't done very often. We all dream that we could connect more with the film we're watching, but how often do we see that happen? Never, which is why this film is so refreshing. In "Zelig", Woody Allen went into his film, but in this one, he has a character come out of his. It's a testament to how much Woody Allen loves films because we want to truly feel them, but "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" shows the negatives that can occur if that happens, which is very true of real life. Films have that power, which Woody shows us on an artistic level, but through Cecilia, he is simply showing us how watching films can bring so much enjoyment to a person, which they have for me as well.
In terms of what doesn't work in this film, there isn't much I don't like besides the ending, but I'm not going to say what happens because then I'll spoil in. As for the positives, I loved the set design of certain scenes because they set the mood for the film, which was very old school, and reminiscent to the time of cheap black and white films. Mia Farrow as the main character deserves praise, as does Danny Aiello for being memorable and simplistic in such little screen time, but the true star of the film is Jeff Daniels because he is so believable as the character who leaves the film and the actor he portrays. He shows anger and happiness, but his actions are so subtle that you don't even notice he's just acting. Not to mention, he's hilarious, and his dialogue is fantastic. But then again, it's always like that for a Woody Allen film. And lastly, I can't forget the music from the film, which was a mix of classical, jazz, oldies, and classic songs from film like "Cheek to Cheek" with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, one of my favorite songs ever from film.
There's been a lot of unfortunate publicity in the news recently with Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, and their family, which is understandable, but I hope people don't judge Woody Allen without first knowing all the facts. But I won't judge you if you dislike him. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just know that this man is a true artist, who like the quote above says, wants to show real life in movies. What would happen if the same thing happened all the time or the way we expected? Life might be better, but it'd be boring, which "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" truthfully shows, a reality that all of us are afraid to face at times. It's tough to see, but that's what makes the film amazing.
After watching "The Purple Rose Of Cairo", and realizing how much I enjoyed it, I'm disappointed I put it off for so long because my dad bought it for me months ago, but other things in life got in the way, and I had the preconceived notions that even if it was good, it couldn't touch Woody's best films for me, which are "Manhattan", "Hannah And Her Sisters", and "Crimes And Misdemeanors", but this is close to being one of my absolute favorites. It has all the charm of his best films, and high repeatability factor. I'm not much of a flower person, but give me a purple rose, and I'll go to the movies with you any day.
Woody Allen's films always touch close to real life because his films are about themes we deal with, whether it's love, friendship, sex, etc, but in this film, he is literally having the character in the film of a film come out into the real world of his film (sorry if that didn't make any sense). It's genius because of the idea and the fact that isn't done very often. We all dream that we could connect more with the film we're watching, but how often do we see that happen? Never, which is why this film is so refreshing. In "Zelig", Woody Allen went into his film, but in this one, he has a character come out of his. It's a testament to how much Woody Allen loves films because we want to truly feel them, but "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" shows the negatives that can occur if that happens, which is very true of real life. Films have that power, which Woody shows us on an artistic level, but through Cecilia, he is simply showing us how watching films can bring so much enjoyment to a person, which they have for me as well.
In terms of what doesn't work in this film, there isn't much I don't like besides the ending, but I'm not going to say what happens because then I'll spoil in. As for the positives, I loved the set design of certain scenes because they set the mood for the film, which was very old school, and reminiscent to the time of cheap black and white films. Mia Farrow as the main character deserves praise, as does Danny Aiello for being memorable and simplistic in such little screen time, but the true star of the film is Jeff Daniels because he is so believable as the character who leaves the film and the actor he portrays. He shows anger and happiness, but his actions are so subtle that you don't even notice he's just acting. Not to mention, he's hilarious, and his dialogue is fantastic. But then again, it's always like that for a Woody Allen film. And lastly, I can't forget the music from the film, which was a mix of classical, jazz, oldies, and classic songs from film like "Cheek to Cheek" with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, one of my favorite songs ever from film.
There's been a lot of unfortunate publicity in the news recently with Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, and their family, which is understandable, but I hope people don't judge Woody Allen without first knowing all the facts. But I won't judge you if you dislike him. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just know that this man is a true artist, who like the quote above says, wants to show real life in movies. What would happen if the same thing happened all the time or the way we expected? Life might be better, but it'd be boring, which "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" truthfully shows, a reality that all of us are afraid to face at times. It's tough to see, but that's what makes the film amazing.
After watching "The Purple Rose Of Cairo", and realizing how much I enjoyed it, I'm disappointed I put it off for so long because my dad bought it for me months ago, but other things in life got in the way, and I had the preconceived notions that even if it was good, it couldn't touch Woody's best films for me, which are "Manhattan", "Hannah And Her Sisters", and "Crimes And Misdemeanors", but this is close to being one of my absolute favorites. It has all the charm of his best films, and high repeatability factor. I'm not much of a flower person, but give me a purple rose, and I'll go to the movies with you any day.
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