Woody Allen's film The Purple Rose of Cairo is a highly entertaining film that plays with its established reality in a way that is highly engaging.
Mia Farrow's portrayal of Celia is the actress at her best. She is vulnerable and engaging: a perfect heroine for this kind of story. Jeff Daniels balances the two roles he plays well, the contrast between the innocent and naive Tom Baxter and the multifaceted Gil Shepherd is interesting. The reality that Woody Allen plays with is surprisingly believable. The denizens of Hollywood react in a way that is realistic to their creations coming to life: they try to cover their tracks. Allen doesn't attempt to wrap his conclusion up either. The ending is appropriately ambiguous. It finishes with the line between fiction and reality clearly, upsettingly stated.
All of these assets are not what makes The Purple Rose of Cairo such a triumph. What does is Allen's sociological analysis of the state of the United States during the Depression. His creation of the film within a film "The Purple Rose of Cairo" is meticulously planned. He has created an alternate universe that is at a sharp contrast with the actual conditions of the United States during the thirties. All the characters in this fake film are incredibly affluent. They can afford glamorous globetrotting escapades. The Hollywood piece is completely unrepresentative of the hardships of the American people. It is pure escapism. Not many films have been made that are about the way that entertainment affected the Americans living during Great Depression, but (like Celia in the film) many people's only escape from the drudgery of their lives was through their entertainment. Woody Allen makes this statement in such an accessible and digestible film; he is opening up the eyes of the average movie patron to Allen's message relaying the power of film to change ordinary people's lives. Celia is influenced to take control of her own destiny after she is treated humanely by Tom. She realizes that she does not have to be in her negative relationship with the awful Monk. Although Allen makes this point in an extreme fashion by creating a fantastical situation for Celia to grow and interact in, the message he is emoting is very down to earth.
The other extraordinary topic that Allen brings up in his film is the relationship between the artist and their creations. Gil Shepherd is not a bad person, just thrust into incredibly abnormal circumstances. His attempt to get his character that he created back into the film brings him closer to Celia in the process and a love triangle ensues. Metaphorically, Allen is simply relating a problem that many artists (including, probably himself) have faced. This is the problem of admires and potential suitors mistaking the artist for the character they have created. Often, Allen has been mistaken with the strong onscreen persona that has been created. His "Little Schlemiel" may be more appealing to women than Allen himself. This is also the problem that Gil Shepherd faces. Celia in one scene states "I just met a man wonderful new man. He's fictional but you can't have everything." She clearly likes the fictional Tom better than the real Gil. Allen asks: "Do all of Tom's best qualities actually stem from Gil's portrayal of him?" It also makes us ask questions about what we actually admire in fictional characters: the way they are written, or the way they are played by the actors who breathe them life.
The Purple Rose of Cairo is deceptive in its entertainment value. Beneath a highly engaging and funny plot are many interesting questions about a sociology of an era and the relationship between the artist and his art. It comes highly recommended for a fun, and thoughtful time.
Mia Farrow's portrayal of Celia is the actress at her best. She is vulnerable and engaging: a perfect heroine for this kind of story. Jeff Daniels balances the two roles he plays well, the contrast between the innocent and naive Tom Baxter and the multifaceted Gil Shepherd is interesting. The reality that Woody Allen plays with is surprisingly believable. The denizens of Hollywood react in a way that is realistic to their creations coming to life: they try to cover their tracks. Allen doesn't attempt to wrap his conclusion up either. The ending is appropriately ambiguous. It finishes with the line between fiction and reality clearly, upsettingly stated.
All of these assets are not what makes The Purple Rose of Cairo such a triumph. What does is Allen's sociological analysis of the state of the United States during the Depression. His creation of the film within a film "The Purple Rose of Cairo" is meticulously planned. He has created an alternate universe that is at a sharp contrast with the actual conditions of the United States during the thirties. All the characters in this fake film are incredibly affluent. They can afford glamorous globetrotting escapades. The Hollywood piece is completely unrepresentative of the hardships of the American people. It is pure escapism. Not many films have been made that are about the way that entertainment affected the Americans living during Great Depression, but (like Celia in the film) many people's only escape from the drudgery of their lives was through their entertainment. Woody Allen makes this statement in such an accessible and digestible film; he is opening up the eyes of the average movie patron to Allen's message relaying the power of film to change ordinary people's lives. Celia is influenced to take control of her own destiny after she is treated humanely by Tom. She realizes that she does not have to be in her negative relationship with the awful Monk. Although Allen makes this point in an extreme fashion by creating a fantastical situation for Celia to grow and interact in, the message he is emoting is very down to earth.
The other extraordinary topic that Allen brings up in his film is the relationship between the artist and their creations. Gil Shepherd is not a bad person, just thrust into incredibly abnormal circumstances. His attempt to get his character that he created back into the film brings him closer to Celia in the process and a love triangle ensues. Metaphorically, Allen is simply relating a problem that many artists (including, probably himself) have faced. This is the problem of admires and potential suitors mistaking the artist for the character they have created. Often, Allen has been mistaken with the strong onscreen persona that has been created. His "Little Schlemiel" may be more appealing to women than Allen himself. This is also the problem that Gil Shepherd faces. Celia in one scene states "I just met a man wonderful new man. He's fictional but you can't have everything." She clearly likes the fictional Tom better than the real Gil. Allen asks: "Do all of Tom's best qualities actually stem from Gil's portrayal of him?" It also makes us ask questions about what we actually admire in fictional characters: the way they are written, or the way they are played by the actors who breathe them life.
The Purple Rose of Cairo is deceptive in its entertainment value. Beneath a highly engaging and funny plot are many interesting questions about a sociology of an era and the relationship between the artist and his art. It comes highly recommended for a fun, and thoughtful time.