The Purple Rose of Cairo

Work Title: The Purple Rose of Cairo
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 1985
Writer(s): Woody Allen
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

(adapted from the wikipedia entry) Cecilia is a film buff who goes to the movies to escape her sad life during the Great Depression and her loveless marriage. One of the films she sees many times is called "The Purple Rose of Cairo." Tom, a character in this film-within-the-film, falls in love with Cecilia and literally breaks through the 4th wall in order to meet her. He emerges from the black-and-white world of the movie into the colorful real world on the other side of the screen. Shocked at this occurence and worried about its consequences, the film's producer and the actor who plays Tom travel to New Jersey to try to convince Tom to rejoin the film. Gil, (the actor who plays Tom) also takes a liking to Cecilia, forcing her to choose between a potentially perfect, fictional lover (Tom) and a human one (Gil.) Cecilia chooses Gil, and Tom returns to his film, defeated. Gil, however, lies to Cecilia and returns to Hollywood without her, leaving Cecilia alone at the movie theater at the end of the film.

  • Self-Written?:
  • Source Name: Wikipedia
  • Source URL:
Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_past
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

The world of the film is a fairly realistic portrayal of a New Jersey town during the Great Depression.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Movies
  • Description of the technology: A fictional character in a film breaks through the movie screen and enters the real world. (Until this point, the screen and the theater seem to be completely normal.) Later, a real person also steps through the screen into the movie world. It is not explained exactly how this is possible, nor why only some of the characters are able to transcend this barrier.
  • Nature of task or activity: Tom explores the real world and attempts to find out how it works. He is surprised to learn that his money is fake and that cars need keys in order to start. Cecilia enters the film world and lives the luxorious life portrayed there.
  • Performance of the Technology: The technology does something different than what is was created to do. It is shown to have a "mind of its own," since neither the theater manager nor the film's creators are able to control this breakaway character.
  • Description of creator(s): The film is created by Hollywood writers, producers, and actors. All are shown to be wealthy white men.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To entertain people and to make money.
  • Description of users of technology: The users (the film audience) here are "the masses." Many people are shown in the audience, but the main user is Cecilia, a poor white woman who is unhappy with her life.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: In the real world, Tom is able to function, but is clearly not human. For example, his hair is never mussed, and he doesn't experience pain when hit. His values and personality are also unchanging, as they are permanently "written into his character." In the film world, Cecilia enjoys herself, but notes that certain things are fake. For example, the champagne bottles are filled with gingerale.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: All of the characters are aware of the technology. The film-within-the-film characters gain conciousness and are aware of their place in the film and its plot, and the human characters know that Tom is fictional.
  • Valence of experience: The presence experiences are shown to bring joy to both Cecilia and Tom, although the occurence causes worry and concern from some other characters.
  • Specific responses: Tom gives Cecilia love and validation that she has never experienced in the real world. As a result, she gains confidence and leaves her abusive husband.
Long-term consequences:

In the end, Cecilia decides not to live in the mediated world and chooses Gil (a human) over Tom (a fictional character.) However, Gil deceives her, implying that the real world can mislead us just as much as the mediated one. The film has a bittersweet ending. Cecilia is left alone, but as she begins to watch another film, she begins to look a bit happier. Thus the message of the film seems to be that the presence we experience while watching a movie may have its limitations, but it still offers a level of escape and comfort that is valuable.

Other:

Like the Star Trek "Ship in a Bottle" episode, this film asks what happens when a human creation, developed for entertainment purposes, gains conciousness and inserts itself into the real world. It also explores the parasocial relationship between the moviegoer and onscreen characters.

Coder name: Bonnie Friel
Coder email: bonniefriel@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University graduate student