Plot

In 1935 New Jersey, a movie character walks off the screen and into the real world.

Cecilia, a waitress in New Jersey during the Depression, is searching for an escape from her dreary life. Tom Baxter is a dashing young archaeologist in the film "The Purple Rose of Cairo." After losing her job Cecilia goes to see the film to raise her spirits. Much to her surprise, Tom Baxter walks off the screen and into her life. There's only one problem: Tom isn't real. Meanwhile, Hollywood is up in arms when they discover that other Tom Baxters are trying to leave the screen in other theaters. Will Tom ever return and finish the film or will he decide to stay in the real world?—Ricky Darbonne <nsdar8115@alpha.nsula.edu>

Cecilia lives a drab life in Depression-era New Jersey. She works as a waitress in a diner--she isn't very good at it and is soon fired--and has a loafing philanderer for a husband. She spends much of her time at the local movie theater repeatedly seeing the same movie, "The Purple Rose of Cairo." One day, Tom Baxter, a minor character in the movie, actually walks off the screen and joins Cecilia in exploring the world on the other side of the screen. Meanwhile, the remaining actors in the film are unable to continue with the story and Hollywood producers panic when other movie characters want to do the same.—garykmcd

In early-1930s New Jersey, Cecilia uses the movies to escape from the increasingly-sadder life: her marriage to out-of-work Monk is unsatisfying; he hangs out with his friends instead of looking for work, and when he gets home he treats her poorly, even hitting her--but she will probably never leave him. She is currently the sole breadwinner, a diner waitress--until her daydreaming at work, specifically about the lives of movie characters--gets her fired. The latest of these movies is a lighthearted comic adventure called "The Purple Rose of Cairo," which she has now seen several times. During one of those screenings, Tom Baxter, a secondary but pivotal character in the movie--a self-described poet, explorer, and adventurer--walks off the screen into the audience, stating that he has seen Cecilia at several screenings before, and fallen in love with her, and Tom and Cecilia take off together. This causes may problems: the other characters on the screen can't continue without Tom, studio executives are concerned about anything libelous that Tom might do for which they would be legally responsible, and they are concerned that other characters from the movie will also walk off, not only at this theater but at others where the movie is being screened. Cecilia also sees it as a problem; although she likes Tom and likes being with him, she knows that he's not real. Another person who sees it as a problem is Gil Shepherd, the up-and-coming young actor who portrays Tom; he sees Tom's move as potentially destroying his career. But as Gil gave Tom life in his portrayal, there could be some of Gil in Tom. So when Gil heads to New Jersey to try to persuade Tom to go back into the movie, Gil, a real person, could also also see in Cecilia what Tom sees in her.—Huggo

In mid-1930s New Jersey, Cecilia (Mia Farrow) is a waitress stuck in a loveless, dead-end marriage to obnoxious, philandering, gambling Monk (Danny Aiello). It's the height of the Depression and life is pretty grim, but luckily Cecilia has an escape. She loves going to the movies. The latest movie in town is "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and after a falling-out with Monk, she watches it over and over. While watching it for the fifth time, one of the characters in the movie, Tom Baxter (Jeff Daniels), notices Cecilia and steps out of the movie. All manner of adventures, romance, and hilarity ensue.—grantss