The Purple Rose of Cairo

Year:

1985

Duration:

82 min

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

IMDB rate:

7.7

Director:

Woody Allen

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 17 wins & 11 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1985-05-09

Filming Locations: Kent Theater, 1170 Coney Island Avenue, Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Earnings

Budget: $15,000,000

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

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

Cast

Actor

Character

Mia Farrow

Cecilia

Jeff Daniels

Tom Baxter

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

Peter Castellotti

Penny Pitcher

Milton Seaman

Ticket Buyer

Mimi Weddell

Ticket Buyer

Tom Degidon

Ticket Taker

Mary Hedahl

Popcorn Seller

Edward Herrmann

Henry

John Wood

Jason

Deborah Rush

Rita

Van Johnson

Larry

Zoe Caldwell

The Countess

Eugene J. Anthony

Arturo (as Eugene Anthony)

Ebb Miller

Bandleader

Karen Akers

Kitty Haynes

Annie Joe Edwards

Delilah

Milo O'Shea

Father Donnelly

Peter McRobbie

The Communist

Camille Saviola

Olga

Juliana Donald

Usherette

Dianne Wiest

Emma

Margaret Thompson

Movie Audience

George Hamlin

Movie Audience

Helen Hanft

Movie Audience

Leo Postrel

Movie Audience

Helen Miller

Movie Audience

George Martin

Movie Audience

Crystal Field

Movie Audience

Ken Chapin

Reporter

Robert Trebor

Reporter

Benjamin Rayson

Movie Goer

Jean Shevlin

Movie Goer

Albert S. Bennett

Movie Goer

Martha Sherrill

Movie Goer

Gretchen MacLane

Movie Goer

Edwin Bordo

Movie Goer

Andrew Murphy

Policeman #1

Tom Kubiak

Policeman #2 (as Thomas Kubiak)

Alexander Cohen

Raoul Hirsch

John Rothman

Mr. Hirsch's Lawyer

Raymond Serra

Hollywood Executive

George J. Manos

Press Agent

David Tice

Waiter

James Lynch

Maitre D'

Sydney Blake

Variety Reporter

Michael Tucker

Gil's Agent

Peter Von Berg

Drugstore Customer

David Weber

Photo Double

Glenne Headly

Hooker (as Glenne Headley)

Willie Tjan

Hooker

Lela Ivey

Hooker

Drinda Lalumia

Hooker (as Drinda La Lumia)

Loretta Tupper

Music Store Owner

Marty Appel

Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Murray Bandel

Extra - Movie Theater (uncredited)

Robert Dahdah

Crowd (uncredited)

George Maniere

Trumpet Player at the Copa (uncredited)

Sharon Porter-Phillips

(uncredited)

James Prendergast

Waiter (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Jeff Daniels' Tom Baxter character has the same "Baxter" last name as the character of Biff Baxter whom Daniels plays in Woody Allen's later film Radio Days (1987).

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In an interview during the 1990s, Woody Allen said the meaning / message of this movie was that "life is ultimately disappointing".

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Whilst doing publicity for Small Time Crooks (2000), Woody Allen said of this picture: "[The] Purple Rose [of Cairo] was a film that I just locked myself in a room . . . [and] I wrote it and halfway through it didn't go anywhere and I put it aside. I didn't know what to do. I toyed around with other ideas. Only when the idea hit me, a long time later, that the real actor comes to town and she has to choose between the [screen] actor and the real actor and she chooses the real actor and he dumps her, that was the time it became a real movie. Before that it wasn't. But the whole thing was manufactured".

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Goofs

Although the film's fictional namesake has scenes filmed in the Copacabana club in New York, the club was not open until November 1940. This is not consistent with the actual film, which is set during the Great Depression.

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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.

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Quotes

The Countess: You know what they get for rape in a small town? Especially by a man in a pith helmet?

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The Countess: Go with the real guy, honey, we're limited.

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Movie Patron: You can't talk to my wife that way - who do you think you are? The Countess: I'm a genuine countess with a lot of dough, and if that's your wife she's a tub of guts.

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Faq

Q

How does it end?

A

Gil Shepherd hangs around with Cecilia, and as soon as Tom Baxter walks back into the movie screen, Gil leaves.Cecilia finds refuge, as always, at the movies.Gil looks uneasy on the plane back to Hollywood; it is possible that he feels guilty about tricking Cecilia - but also possible that this is just due to his fear of flight!

Q

What film is Cecilia watching at the end?

A

She is watching "Top Hat" (1935), a Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire film, specifically the famous "Cheek to Cheek" segment, which you may also have seen in "The Green Mile" (1999).

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