There was a time when words could not be spoken out loud and colours were not a thing for the art of film. I speak of course about the silent era of filmmaking, back when a still young Buster Keaton released a 45 minutes long film called "Sherlock, Jr." and used the power of illusion and editing to seduce the audiences. Woody Allen, already one of the most important filmmakers of all-time, made his own "Sherlock, Jr." in 1985: The Purple Rose Of Cairo. The film is not so much of a tribute to Keaton's masterpiece as more of a tribute to the art of film itself. Woody Allen is not present on the screen this time, but we can feel his presence in the script, and in the love story, of course. The plot is simple: an everyday woman escapes everyday problems (including a not-so-caring husband played by Danny Aiello) by going to the cinema. She already watched "The Purple Rose of Cairo" for about 4 times, but that doesn't stop her from watching it the 5th time when one of the characters (Tom Baxter, played by Jeff Daniels) is so impressed by how much she likes the movie that he jumps off the screen and runs away with her out of the cinema. Things go a little crazy of course, no story that plays with reality is simple. But what Woody Allen tries to tell us is that fantasy is just as important as reality itself, and it can help us remain sane. How many times have you said that one single book, film, or even song saved your day? That's the power fantasy has on us. "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" is probably on of the most delightful films a cinephile could ever watch. It's beautifully crafted, funny, romantic and it has a lovely cast. It's not only the "Sullivan's Travells" of the 80's and Woody Allen's "Sherlock, Jr.", it represents the reason why we watch films and when you'll get to the final scene, you'll know what I mean.

Academy and Golden Globe award winner. Excellent blending of color and black and white. Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels are the star-crossed lovers. The only problem with their romance is that she is already married to a "do-nothing" lazy and abusive husband and Tom Baxter is fictional. He jumps off the movie screen from a typical Depression Era romantic comedy into the Real World. He isn't real. He doesn't even know how (and probably can't) make love. His money is fake and he can't start a real car. The actors left on the screen (in black and white) have absolutely nothing to do and other "Tom Baxters" are trying to walk out of the movie in other cities. So, the real actor flies to New Jersey, and tries to fix it all to save his career and the movie studio from embarrassment and ruin. He pretends to fall in love with Cecilia (Mia); it is all an act and she chooses the real actor Gill (Daniels) as poor "Tom" walks back into the movie. Gill flies back to Hollywood alone, as he only loves himself. Life goes on, and the devastated and unemployed diner waitress "Cecilia" goes back to the movie house to see Fred and Ginger dancing "Cheek-to-Cheek" in "Top Hat". Realistically filmed in a small New Jersey town, a closed amusement park, and an old-fashioned-looking diner. A fast and fascinating 82 minute movie. Done rather "straight" considering the subject matter. Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels have great chemistry together. Also with Van Johnson and Edward Hermann. More romantic than comedy. Not your typical Woody Allen movie and perhaps better because of it.

Yes, it was a depressing time for many who could only find solace in the movies, and for troubled housewife Mia Farrow, the only way out is her regular visits to her local cinema. One of the characters in the movies notices her repeat visits after she walks out on her husband (Danny Aiello) and is fired from her job, and before you can say, "Action!", he is walking off the screen and grabbing her so he can find life on the outside of the celluloid closet. Jeff Daniels, one of the brightest finds of the 1980's, has such an innocence and spirit in his acting, that after playing the wise-cracking husband of Debra Winger's in "Terms of Endearment" seemed perfect for these types of wide-eyed roles. Of course, he's playing two characters: the character in the movie ("The Purple Rose of Cairo") and the actor, Biff Baxter, who played him, and it must be up to Biff to get his character to return to the screen so his career isn't ruined."Do you really want another guy walking around?" someone asks, while one of the movie characters makes a comment about men who walk around wearing pith helmets. Director and writer Woody Allen kept himself off of the screen for this one classic 80's vehicle, and ends up with one of his very best movies, practically perfect. It is a throw-back to the type of romantic films of the 1930's where the poor girl going through a bad time could find sudden adventure, dream about living a more glamorous life, and yet somehow have a bitter-sweet ending that could bring the hardest of New York audiences to tears, as is the case here. Farrow and Daniels are surrounded by a great supporting cast which includes Dianne Wiest as a big-hearted hooker (in her Woody Allen debut), Zoe Caldwell as a genuine countess with a lot of dough, and Van Johnson as her hanger- on social climber husband. The last two are part of the movie which also includes the typical Jean Harlow hard-boiled not so dumb blonde and a sassy black maid who once she has the freedom to escape from the script questions which one of the wealthy white characters is trying to sucker her. Annie Joe Edwards, who plays this part, would later get some good lines in on Jennifer Tilley in Allen's brilliant "Bullets Over Broadway". There's also nightclub/Broadway performer Karen Akers as the singer who is supposed to end up with Daniels on screen, Milo O'Shea as a priest, Edward Hermann as one of the dashing on-screen characters and that cute little old lady who played around with the Fruit of the Loom underwear boys, Loretta Tupper, playing a music store owner who doesn't say a word but steals a brief scene when Daniels and Farrow come in to her shop. This is filled with a great 30's feel, some fantastic jazzy background music and a finale that is heartbreaking. When Fred and Ginger start dancing as Farrow looks on, you begin to hope that somehow they'll come off the screen as well. Stage legend Caldwell gets some of the wittiest lines in the screenplay, telling one of the audience members to "Stop yapping because we've got problems of our own", and insulting someone else with, "If that's your wife, she's a tub of guts!" Give yourself a little romance, Woody style, because beneath all that bad publicity surrounding his personal life with Farrow in years to come, he had a truly romantic heart which at least got to escape from his brain thanks to his pen.

Mia Farrow lives in the world of make-believe, the world of old Hollywood. Her neglectful husband, played by Danny Aiello, doesn't help at all. She watches movies every chance she gets, even watching the same film over and over. The images blend, the thin line thins. In yet another viewing of an old musical/adventure tale, one of the characters, played by Jeff Daniels, turns to her and starts talking to her, even coming out of the celluloid projection. He has come to life. What's so extraordinary is that others see this, too! It's not like only Mia can see him. Jeff's real existence creates havoc. People want their money back. The movie moguls in Hollywood get wind of it, hoping against hope for no lawsuit. But most importantly, the cast left behind has nothing to do because they can't go to the next scene without him. But Jeff Daniels doesn't want to go back in the film. He is having too good a time with Mia. Jeff Daniels plays two roles in this Woody Allen film. Don't get confused. The character who jumped out of the movie screen and the actor who played him, who is asked to go this town to get him to go back into the film. Even if "The Purple Rose of Cairo" contains flaws and is not perfect, it proves one thing – Woody Allen can really tell a tale, can really wrap you into a world of fantasy. He is a master of his craft, as he spins a web of tall tales come to life with zany results. Van Johnson has a role in the film's film that goes on and on. This has much ingenuity and charm, and Jeff Daniels may have his best movie role/roles of his career with this experience. But what becomes of the movie character Jeff? More importantly,what becomes of Mia! Is she destined to a part of the theater's atmosphere, to live there, to breathe there? Does she get a chance to live, to branch out, to be her real self? Sometimes what we want can be detriment to (or be in direct opposite to) what we need. The real world vs. fantasy! Only the purple rose knows….