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The Purple Rose of Cairo
The Purple Rose of Cairo Image
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Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 5 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Jeff Daniels, Mia Farrow
  • Summary: A Depression-era waitress spends every free moment she has at the cinema because the grand stories she finds there distract her from her pitiful life, but when a dashing character from one of the films becomes smitten with her and leaves his celluloid world, she finds herself in the middle of her own fantasy romance.… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Gene Siskel
    100
    A cornball adventure film about a dashing young explorer mixing with New York cafe society types. What a delightfully complicated fantasy film this is. What Woody Allen has done with The Purple Rose of Cairo is create a classic film about our love affair with fantasy. [28 Jun 1985, p.1]
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  2. Variety
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    50
    Tale is a light, almost frivolous treatment of a serious theme, as Woody Allen here confronts the unalterable fact that life just doesn't turn out the way it does (or did) in Hollywood films. For all its situational goofiness, pic is a tragedy, and it's too bad Allen didn't build up the characters and drama sufficiently to give some weight to his concerns.
  3. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Dave Kehr
    30
    Woody Allen's naive notions of art--he thinks it means a story with a moral--might have some primitive charm if he didn't put them forward so self-importantly.

See all 7 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. J-Shap
    9
    Allen at his most romantic (in terms of romanticism) about film, TPROC is as sweet as a film could be, without being sugary. It's funny, sad, romantic, and quite zany, and catches Allen at his most Chaplinesque. I feel I'm about using the word 'magical' in a review, but I'll generate a substitute for the word, and use that instead.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. JayH
    8
    Woody Allen never ceases to amaze me. His imagination and humor are so admirable. This film is so unusual and incredibly creative. Enthralling even. It never fails to fascinate and in many ways it is brilliant. My only gripe is the two leads. I think Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels are too bland, better casting would have helped. The rest of the cast is terrific though, especially Zoe Caldwell.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

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