 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Purple Rose of Cairo
- Review Date: October 17, 2007
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 1985
Common Sense Media says
Whimsical Woody Allen love note to '30s films.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that a lot of the movie deals with an innocent, fictional character, from a Golden Age Hollywood film (with morality dictated by studio censorship) suddenly faced with the real world, where people don't fight fair, where despair and unemployment and prostitution exist, and where sex is more than just a fadeout -- resulting in some innuendo-laden dialogue. Adultery is a large part of the plot, with Tom beseeching the married heroine to leave her loutish husband for him.
What's the story?
To escape her terrible marriage to an unemployed jerk (Danny Aiello), unassertive waitress Cecilia (Mia Farrow) frequents the movie theater to watch Hollywood movies. She particularly loves "The Purple Rose of Cairo," and sees it repeatedly -- so much that eventually the romantic lead character Tom Baxter (Jeff Daniels) notices Cecilia. He falls in love with her, and steps out of the movie, leaving his baffled castmates unable to move the plot forward. Cecilia tours Tom around the real world, where things aren't always fair and sex isn't an abstract, unseen concept. Meanwhile, Tom's defection panics movie-industry executives, who fear other fictional characters will start coming to life and roaming around. They summon the actor who portrayed Tom, Gil Shepard (Daniels again), to find and bring his unruly creation under control. Gil also winds up romancing Cecilia, urging her to leave her husband for him.
Is it any good?
Woody Allen's whimsical tale seems like a valentine -- with some doubts -- to the 1930s movie industry and its glossy black-and-white make-believe that uplifted the downtrodden, Depression-era audiences. Grown-ups can take this breezy comedy as both a tribute to and a cautionary tale of women who love movies too much. Kids can enjoy it as one the many fish-out-of-water plots, in which a fantasy-film archetype must deal with the 20th-century real world. And Woody Allen fans will get their fill of his clever dialogue, tinged with existential angst and uncertainty around the edges.
The gimmicky premise pays off in a number of very funny scenes, but there's also a wistful quality about the film, its sepia-toned settings, and an ending twist that puts into sharp focus the idea that true love and happy endings exist more often in movies than in real life. Younger viewers, especially those not into the time period, might be restless that the farce here is more about dialogue, relationships, and concepts than special effects and action.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the many layers of the comedy here, and the depiction of Depression-era movies (that filmmaker Woody Allen obviously cherishes) as a form of escape from dismal reality. How might this plot have worked out today? What would you have done in Cecilia's place, faced with Prince Charming suitors in both the imaginary and the actual world? Is Tom Baxter right to equate his scriptwriter with God? Do you think the film ultimately makes a positive statement or a negative one about Hollywood and its ways?
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AGE
A good Woody Allen for tweens
Only Woody Allen could create an idea for a movie like The Purple Rose of Cairo. I say this because Woody Allen is a genius; the plot of Purple Rose was fairly complex, only Allen could have that creativity. The setting and characters were developed very well; by the end I knew who everyone was and where they were going. Performances from Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels were pleasing, but nothing amazing. Though I really did enjoyed Daniels’ dual roles. The story/screenplay was very good, something to be noted. Purple Rose was very good, but at times seemed a wee bit shallow. I did enjoy the movie; it was (most of the time) very compelling.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Studio: | MGM/UA |
| Director: | Woody Allen |
| Cast: | Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, Mia Farrow |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 84 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 2, 1985 |
| DVD release date: | November 6, 2001 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | parental guidance |
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