[box cover]

The Purple Rose of Cairo

The Woody Allen Collection: Volume Three

  • Broadway Danny Rose
  • Hannah and Her Sisters
  • A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy
  • The Purple Rose of Cairo
  • Radio Days
  • Zelig

  • Summary
    • Leave it to Woody Allen to invent a perfect comic device and then twist it into a heartbreaker. Mia Farrow stars as Cecilia, a Depression-era waitress whose escape-hungry presence in the local movie house is so consistent, a movie character (Jeff Daniels) takes notice, steps out of the screen and whisks her away on a surreal romance. As Cecilia teeters on the thin edge between between fantasy and reality, Allen maintains a dark undercurrent to this romantic romp, as well as some brilliant existential comedy, but his sharp, cynical (and very honest) turn at the end leaves some viewers cold. Presented in a fine, though by no means meticulous, 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and Dolby Digital mono (Allen's preferred audio format). Trailer, keep case.
    —Gregory P. Dorr

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