mike48128 Review of The Purple Rose of Cairo

The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

Amazing Performances and an Award Winner

[10/10 · 8 August 2017]

Academy and Golden Globe award winner. Excellent blending of color and black and white. Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels are the star-crossed lovers. The only problem with their romance is that she is already married to a "do-nothing" lazy and abusive husband and Tom Baxter is fictional. He jumps off the movie screen from a typical Depression Era romantic comedy into the Real World. He isn't real. He doesn't even know how (and probably can't) make love. His money is fake and he can't start a real car. The actors left on the screen (in black and white) have absolutely nothing to do and other "Tom Baxters" are trying to walk out of the movie in other cities. So, the real actor flies to New Jersey, and tries to fix it all to save his career and the movie studio from embarrassment and ruin. He pretends to fall in love with Cecilia (Mia); it is all an act and she chooses the real actor Gill (Daniels) as poor "Tom" walks back into the movie. Gill flies back to Hollywood alone, as he only loves himself. Life goes on, and the devastated and unemployed diner waitress "Cecilia" goes back to the movie house to see Fred and Ginger dancing "Cheek-to-Cheek" in "Top Hat". Realistically filmed in a small New Jersey town, a closed amusement park, and an old-fashioned-looking diner. A fast and fascinating 82 minute movie. Done rather "straight" considering the subject matter. Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels have great chemistry together. Also with Van Johnson and Edward Hermann. More romantic than comedy. Not your typical Woody Allen movie and perhaps better because of it.