Review of The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) by Nathan S — 16 Dec 2010

Another amazing film by Woody Allen. I can see why this would be his favorite. It fully covers his ideas on love, but at the same time is really charming. Jeff Daniels was great as Tom Baxter, an explorer from a movie called The Purple Rose of Cairo, who somehow sees a woman in the audience and falls in love with her so much that he decides to leave his film and enter the real world to be with her. Cecilia isn't loved by her husband and seems to only have one friend, so when Tom takes her away she leaves without a second thought. Yeah, a man strangely exits the screen, but she is lonely and she has been in love with him since the first time she saw the movie. Woody Allen continues the story line between the two while answering questions about the two worlds colliding without ever taking a break. I loved when Tom goes into the brothel and has no idea what is happening. Even though there are many charming and happy moments throughout the film I always felt an underlying sense of sadness. She is finding new love, but at the same time she is still married to the jerk who cheats right in front of her. This broken marriage is constantly stopping her from showing her true love to a man who wants nothing except her love. It is strange to be screaming "cheat on the husband!" but that's what was going on. Allen creates such a great connection to Cecilia that we care a great deal about every little choice she will make. Perhaps because we watch movies to escape our lives, and Cecilia is the same way and she has the opportunity that we have always wanted.

**SPOILERS**.

Of course, the movie ends with Woody Allen keeping to his true self and his views on love. Cecilia decides that she wants the actor, Gil Shepherd, instead of his character, Tom, simply because he is real. She thinks she has gone completely insane falling for a fictional character. But she does believe that true love exists. Unfortunately, Gil was just playing her so that he could get his character to go back on screen. It's such a heartbreaking revelation in the film, but the ending is perfect with Cecilia sitting in the theater watching the famous scene "heaven, I'm in heaven" by Ginger and Fred, and she slowly gets a smile on her face. According to Allen, love does not last, it's only for movies. If she wanted true happiness she should have stayed in the film with Tom, or else she can go back to reality where the husband beats and cheats on her and the actor lies about loving her.