The Purple Rose of Cairo

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The Purple Rose of Cairo

PG

1985

1h 22m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

40 Reviews

88%

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10,000+ Ratings

Unhappily married Depression-era waitress Cecilia (Mia Farrow) earns the money while her inattentive husband, Monk (Danny Aiello), blows their meager income on getting drunk and gambling. To assuage her loneliness, Cecilia escapes to the picture show and becomes transfixed with the movie The Purple Rose of Cairo, and especially with its lead character, archeologist Tom Baxter (Jeff Daniels). When Tom literally steps off of the screen and into her life, both realities are thrown into chaos.

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Critics Consensus

Lighthearted and sweet, The Purple Rose of Cairo stands as one of Woody Allen's more inventive -- and enchantingly whimsical -- pictures.

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Terrence Rafferty

Sight & Sound

Mar 24, 2020

Everything in this movie makes heavenly sense.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jun 21, 2018

4/4

Delightful from beginning to end, not only because of the clarity and charm with which Daniels and Farrow explore the problems of their characters, but also because the movie is so intelligent.

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

May 20, 2003

It's a sweet, lyrically funny, multi- layered work that again demonstrates that Woody Allen is our premier film maker who, standing something over 5 feet tall in his sneakers, towers above all others.

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Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Jun 3, 2024

One of the director’s breeziest, most consistently delightful efforts. Until the final scenes sneak up on you.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 15, 2023

4/4

When discussing Woody Allen classics, titles like Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters are frequently cited (and rightly so), but where’s the love for The Purple Rose of Cairo, a movie that even Woody himself considers among his top two or three?

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Penny Holme

Starburst

Jul 22, 2022

This succinct film is completely delightful, a marvelous homage to the spirit of the cinematic Thirties.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 29, 2026

The Purple Rose of Cairo = a *4.5* star Movie!

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Huntin P

@PaxVobiscum80 Sep 20, 2026

Woody Allen made many of his best films in the 1980s. This was entirely down to the full flowering of his genius as a director. It almost happened despite the presence of leading lady (and latter day nemesis) Mia Farrow. I guess he couldn't make every movie with Diane, now could he? This is his most romantic movie for Farrow. She plays a diner waitress, unhappily married to a pig of a husband, during the sad days of the Depression. Her only escape is the movie house. She just sits there and watches The Purple Rose of Cairo again and again, until abruptly, one day, one of the characters up on screen notices her. The most delightful romantic and comedic fantasy ensues. My favourite moment is when Cecilia goes up on screen and enters the movie, forcing the cast to ad-lib. Great double role for Jeff Daniels, who replaced Michael Keaton. The first of several appearances of Dianne Wiest in a Woody feature. Danny Aiello and Mia Farrow partnered again in Radio Days (1987), an even better film.

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 May 31, 2026

When Woody Allen became imaginative with our relationship to cinema, acknowledged the platform’s escapism, he kept it simplistic with wondrously thought-provoking and hilarious results that neatly captures, as well replicates, the underlying fascination through humane performances being one of the respective bests, ranking this as his most enjoyable film with heart. (A-)

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rex w

@RT11010153 Dec 29, 2025

It was a cute little movie in the 80s, but you can't make a dreamy nonsensical movie like this anymore. It would be an instant flop. Hell, it was an instant flop when it played 40 years ago.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 4, 2025

Funny in 1 hour and 22 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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jacob c

@RT09118617 May 1, 2025

An enchantingly lovely film about an enchantingly lovely film. It also works as a love letter to film in general, as well as having clever insight on the boundaries between reality and fiction.

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Woody Allen

Director

Mia Farrow

Cecilia

Jeff Daniels

Tom Baxter

Danny Aiello

Monk

Dianne Wiest

Emma

Van Johnson

Larry

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Synopsis

Unhappily married Depression-era waitress Cecilia (Mia Farrow) earns the money while her inattentive husband, Monk (Danny Aiello), blows their meager income on getting drunk and gambling. To assuage her loneliness, Cecilia escapes to the picture show and becomes transfixed with the movie The Purple Rose of Cairo, and especially with its lead character, archeologist Tom Baxter (Jeff Daniels). When Tom literally steps off of the screen and into her life, both realities are thrown into chaos.

Director: Woody Allen
Producer: Robert Greenhut
Screenwriter: Woody Allen
Distributor: Orion Pictures
Production Co: Orion Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 1, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 25, 2012
Runtime: 1h 22m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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