

The Purple Rose of Cairo
She's finally met the man of her dreams. He's not real, but you can't have everything.
Cecilia is a waitress in New Jersey, living a dreary life during the Great Depression. Her only escape from her mundane reality is the movie theatre. After losing her job, Cecilia goes to see 'The Purple Rose of Cairo' in hopes of raising her spirits, where she watches dashing archaeologist Tom Baxter time and again.
TMDB
7.4/10
1,189 votes
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Not rated yet
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $15M
- Box office
- $10.6M
- Language
- English
- new york city
- great depression
- falling in love
- movie star
Top billed cast















Behind the camera
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for India. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
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Release dates
United StatesUS
- PremiereUS Film Festival26 Jan 1985
- PremiereAtlanta, Georgia27 Feb 1985
- Theatrical (limited)PG1 Mar 1985
- TheatricalPG19 Apr 1985
United KingdomGB
- TheatricalPG8 May 1985
BrazilBR
- Theatrical1210 Oct 1985
- Physical127 Jan 2004
- TVL4 Feb 2005
FranceFR
- PremiereCannes Film Festival16 May 1985
- TheatricalU28 May 1985
GermanyDE
- Theatrical123 Oct 1985
HungaryHU
- Theatrical1631 Mar 1988
IrelandIE
- TheatricalPG10 Jan 1986
ItalyIT
- Theatrical17 May 1985
NetherlandsNL
- TheatricalAL29 Aug 1985
- PhysicalALDVD11 Mar 2002
- PhysicalALBlu-ray9 Jan 2017
PortugalPT
- TheatricalM/1212 Sept 1985
Frequently asked questions
The Purple Rose of Cairo was released on 1 March 1985.
Audience reviews
1- C7/10
CinemaSerf
5/30/2025
Initially, this reminded me a little of the scenario for “King Kong” as the impressionable young “Cecilia” (Mia Farrow) manages, not unreasonably it has to be said, to get fired from her waitressing job in 1930s New York. Despondent, she heads to the cinema to see the “The Purple Rose of Cairo” only for it’s star “Tom” (Jeff Daniels) to quite literally leap off the screen at her and soon her world is in turmoil. It’s…
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