Overview
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) RKO Classics
Woody Allen’s classic RKO riff kicks off our RKO Classics series. Cecilia (Mia Farrow) is in a marriage with a louse. She breaks her back waitressing during the Depression only to have her abusive husband Monk (Danny Aiello) bet and booze away her pittance of an income. Her refuge: the movies, specifically The Purple Rose of Cairo, a fictional 1935 RKO film Woody Allen created as his movie within a movie. Smitten by Tom Baxter (Jeff Daniels), a dashing archaeologist in the film, Cecilia’s fate shifts wildly when Tom literally walks off the screen and into her life.
Free for ND, SMC, and HC students.
Sponsored by the Meg and John P. Brogan Endowment for Classic Cinema.
