The Purple Rose of Cairo Blu-ray Review
Even if the idea of characters in a movie coming off the screen or characters in real life entering a film isn’t a new one, Woody Allen’s spin on the idea is so fresh and funny that originality is really beside the point. The corny RKO feature that Tom Baxter escapes is filled with character types (a playboy, his best friend, a countess, a Communist, a nightclub singer, a priest) who once they’re on their own provide their own hilarious byplay to what’s going on in the outside world that they’re witnessing (Zoe Caldwell’s Countess is filled with one-liner putdowns that are priceless). But the central part of the film remains the touching love stories that the dreamy, fantasy-prone Cecilia plays with two identical images but two entirely different men: the guileless fictional Tom Baxter (who even has an enchanting scene in a brothel with a gaggle of prostitutes whom he charms) and the career-obsessed movie star hopeful Gil Shepherd. Tom takes her dining and dancing but has only movie money with which to pay for the evening (oops!) while Gil and Cecilia bond by enjoying a musical moment with Gil singing “I’m Alabamy Bound” to Cecilia’s ukulele accompaniment. The harsh contrast between Cecilia’s hand-to-mouth depression-era existence (it’s 1935) and the luxurious fantasy world of The Purple Rose of Cairo and the real world Hollywood dream factories are continually made apparent as Allen adroitly jumps from one to the other. And when the inevitable letdown comes and we must move completely back to the real world, Allen rescues Cecilia (and us) by ushering us right back into the world of total fantasy and glowing sophistication even if it's only for a moment.
Once again, Allen offers Mia Farrow a role that combines her own dewy-eyed, willowy soft screen presence with the stars-in-your-eyes, bowled over amazement that two awe-struck men (albeit played by the same looking person) would each pledge his love for her. It’s an ultimately sweet but heartbreaking performance and one of her greatest achievements. Jeff Daniels gets to show some early career versatility as Tom/Gil etching two believably different characterizations each within a narrow sphere of existence making his work all the more admirable. (Both Farrow and Daniels were nominated for Golden Globes for their work.) Danny Aiello is a creep personified as the abusive, inconsiderate husband Monk, and Mia’s real-life sister Stephanie has a couple of very good scenes as her screen sister. As the confused characters in the movie who kvetch and insult one another and the audience once Tom leaves them high and dry, Edward Herrmann, John Wood, Van Johnson, Deborah Rush, Karen Akers (who gets to sing a delectable version of “Let’s Take It One Day at a Time”), Zoe Caldwell, Annie Joe Edwards, and Milo O’Shea are aces. Dianne Wiest seems to be having a lot of fun as the prostitute whose heart is touched by Tom’s purity and innocence.
Theatrical Trailer (1:37, HD)
MGM 90th Anniversary Trailer (2:06, HD)
Enclosed Six-Page Booklet: contains some stills from the film, original poster art on the back cover, and film historian Julie Kirgo’s enthusiastic essay on the movie.
Woody Allen’s deft amalgamation of comedy, romance, fantasy, and, ultimately, heartbreak makes The Purple Rose of Cairo one of his masterpieces. Borrowing some fantastical ideas from Buster Keaton’s Sherlock, Jr. and then taking them to a farcical place before bringing his effervescent comedy inevitably back down to earth, The Purple Rose of Cairo offers one of his best-ever casts performing Woody Allen sight and verbal gags when they were at their apex. Bittersweet is an adjective that could have been invented with this movie in mind.
Studio: MGM
Distributed By: Twilight Time
Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English 1.0 DTS-HDMA (Mono)
Subtitles: English SDH
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 Hr. 22 Min.
Package Includes: Blu-ray
keep caseDisc Type: BD50 (dual layer)
Region: All
Release Date: 01/20/2014
MSRP: $29.95
The Production Rating: 5/5
Even if the idea of characters in a movie coming off the screen or characters in real life entering a film isn’t a new one, Woody Allen’s spin on the idea is so fresh and funny that originality is really beside the point. The corny RKO feature that Tom Baxter escapes is filled with character types (a playboy, his best friend, a countess, a Communist, a nightclub singer, a priest) who once they’re on their own provide their own hilarious byplay to what’s going on in the outside world that they’re witnessing (Zoe Caldwell’s Countess is filled with one-liner putdowns that are priceless). But the central part of the film remains the touching love stories that the dreamy, fantasy-prone Cecilia plays with two identical images but two entirely different men: the guileless fictional Tom Baxter (who even has an enchanting scene in a brothel with a gaggle of prostitutes whom he charms) and the career-obsessed movie star hopeful Gil Shepherd. Tom takes her dining and dancing but has only movie money with which to pay for the evening (oops!) while Gil and Cecilia bond by enjoying a musical moment with Gil singing “I’m Alabamy Bound” to Cecilia’s ukulele accompaniment. The harsh contrast between Cecilia’s hand-to-mouth depression-era existence (it’s 1935) and the luxurious fantasy world of The Purple Rose of Cairo and the real world Hollywood dream factories are continually made apparent as Allen adroitly jumps from one to the other. And when the inevitable letdown comes and we must move completely back to the real world, Allen rescues Cecilia (and us) by ushering us right back into the world of total fantasy and glowing sophistication even if it's only for a moment.
Once again, Allen offers Mia Farrow a role that combines her own dewy-eyed, willowy soft screen presence with the stars-in-your-eyes, bowled over amazement that two awe-struck men (albeit played by the same looking person) would each pledge his love for her. It’s an ultimately sweet but heartbreaking performance and one of her greatest achievements. Jeff Daniels gets to show some early career versatility as Tom/Gil etching two believably different characterizations each within a narrow sphere of existence making his work all the more admirable. (Both Farrow and Daniels were nominated for Golden Globes for their work.) Danny Aiello is a creep personified as the abusive, inconsiderate husband Monk, and Mia’s real-life sister Stephanie has a couple of very good scenes as her screen sister. As the confused characters in the movie who kvetch and insult one another and the audience once Tom leaves them high and dry, Edward Herrmann, John Wood, Van Johnson, Deborah Rush, Karen Akers (who gets to sing a delectable version of “Let’s Take It One Day at a Time”), Zoe Caldwell, Annie Joe Edwards, and Milo O’Shea are aces. Dianne Wiest seems to be having a lot of fun as the prostitute whose heart is touched by Tom’s purity and innocence.
Video Rating: 4.5/5 3D Rating: NA
Audio Rating: 4.5/5
Special Features Rating: 2.5/5
Theatrical Trailer (1:37, HD)
MGM 90th Anniversary Trailer (2:06, HD)
Enclosed Six-Page Booklet: contains some stills from the film, original poster art on the back cover, and film historian Julie Kirgo’s enthusiastic essay on the movie.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewed By: Matt Hough
Support HTF when you buy this title:
