The Purple Rose of Cairo (fictional film)

The Purple Rose of Cairo is a fictional film released by RKO Pictures in 1935 set within Woody Allen's 1985 film with the same name. It is featured and mentioned throughout the film. Principal filming was shot in Piermont, New York.

In the fictional film, Henry, a rich playwright resides in a lavish Art Deco penthouse in Manhattan with his companions Jason and Rita. When the film is first seen, Henry complains of boredom and Jason suggests that a vacation to Paris is just the thing. However, Henry responds that he did not have the Ritz in mind and was thinking of something more exotic such as Morocco or Egypt. Rita overhears the conversation and announces that she has "just the dress to wear for the Pyramids". Henry comes up with an idea that the three visit Casablanca and Tangiers and return in time for his new play. Jason toasts "to Cairo, Morocco and Tangiers, to all the exotic and romantic places in the world".

The film moves onto a scene in an Egyptian tomb. Henry, Jason and Rita enter and Rita exclaims how everything is ancient while Jason exclaims how he doesn't "want to feel a bandaged hand around my throat". At that moment, a figure in a safari suit and pith helmet comes in through a secret entrance and startles the three. He introduces himself as "Tom Baxter, explorer, adventurer". Tom explains that he is looking for the Purple Rose of Cairo. According to the legend "a pharaoh had a rose painted purple for his queen. And now the story says, purple roses grow wild at her tomb. Jason comes up with an idea that Tom should come with them to Manhattan to meet the Countess and how "she loves anything in a pith helmet". Though Tom remarks it is impulsive, he agrees. He adds that a fortune teller foretold he would fall in love in New York.

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