The Purple Rose of Cairo

The Purple Rose of Cairo is a 1985 American period fantasy romantic tragicomedy film, written and directed by Woody Allen. Set in Depression-era New Jersey, it stars Mia Farrow as a film lover who flees her abusive husband (Danny Aiello) after a film character (Jeff Daniels) falls in love with her and enters the real world. It is inspired by metafictional works such as the films Sherlock Jr. (1924) and Hellzapoppin' (1941) and the play Six Characters in Search of an Author (1921). The Purple Rose of Cairo was released on March 1, 1985 by Orion Pictures. It won the BAFTA Award for Best Film, while Allen received several screenwriting nominations, including at the Academy Awards, the BAFTA Awards, and the Writers Guild of America Awards. Allen has ranked it among his best