First Friday Film Festival
Friday, August 6
Set in New Jersey during the Great Depression, Cecilia (Mia Farrow) is a clumsy waitress who goes to the movies to escape her bleak life and loveless marriage to Monk (Danny Aiello), whom she has attempted to leave on numerous occasions.The latest film Cecilia sees is a fictitious RKO Radio Pictures movie, The Purple Rose of Cairo. It is the story of a rich Manhattan playwright (Edward Herrmann) who goes on an exotic vacation to Egypt with companions Jason (John Wood) and Rita (Deborah Rush). While in Egypt, the three meet archaeologist Tom Baxter (Jeff Daniels). Tom is brought back for a "madcap Manhattan weekend" where he falls head-over-heels for Kitty Haynes (Karen Akers), a chanteuse at the Copacabana.
When Cecilia sees the film several times, Tom literally breaks the fourth wall, emerging from the black-and-white into the colorful real world on the other side of the cinema's screen.
The producer of the film learns that Tom has left the film, and he flies cross-country to New Jersey with actor Gil Sheperd (also played by Jeff Daniels).
This sets up an unusual love triangle involving Tom, Gil and Cecilia. The downbeat ending has Cecilia give up the chance to return with Tom to his world, choosing to stay with Gil and have a 'real' life.
Gil then abandons her and is seen quietly racked with guilt on his flight back to Hollywood. Having been left without a lover, job or home (but most likely to return to Monk), Cecilia ends up watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing to "Cheek-to-Cheek" in the film Top Hat, forgetting her dire situation and losing herself in the film.
Plot synopsis from Wikipedia
$6 for potluck dinner, film free. Child care available with RSVP.