The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

Deborah Rush: Rita

Photos 

Quotes 

• Jason : What are you people doing here? We can't continue the story 'til Tom gets back.

  Harold : Oh, we don't mind observing you all.

  Harold's Wife : Yes. My husband is a student of the human personality.

  Rita : Oh yeah, well we're not human.

  Harold's Wife : It doesn't matter to Harold. He has trouble with humans.

• Cecilia : Last week I was unloved. Now, two people love me - and it's the same two people.

  The Countess : Go with the real guy, honey, we're limited.

  Rita : Go with Tom! He's got no flaws!

  Delilah : Go with somebody, child, 'cause I's gettin' bored.

• Rita : This is just disgusting! I am an heiress and I don't have to put up with this!

• Tom Baxter : ...Here I am now. I'm on the verge of a madcap - Manhattan - weekend. My God, you must really love this picture.

  Cecilia : Me?

  Tom Baxter : You've been here all day. And I've seen you here twice before.

  Cecilia : You mean me?

  Tom Baxter : Yes, you! You! This is the fifth time you're seeing this.

  Rita : Henry, come here, quickly.

  Tom Baxter : I gotta speak to you.

  [walks from the film, through the screen, into the movie theater] 

  Henry : Listen, old sport, you're on the wrong side.

  Rita : Tom, get back here! We're in the middle of a story.

  Tom Baxter : You go on. I want to have a look around. You go on without me.

• Rita : Hey, open the champagne. I feel like getting plushed to the scuppers!

• Tom Baxter : I'm doing a little archeological work.

  Rita : A real life explorer!

  Tom Baxter : I've come in search of the Purple Rose of Cairo. It's an old legend that's fascinated me for years. A Pharaoh had a rose painted purple for his queen and now the story says purple roses grow wild at her tomb!

  Rita : How romantic.

• Delilah : Miss Rita, somethin' on your mind? Cause you ain't been yourself since you come back from them pyramids.

  Rita : No, it's nothing. I'll be okay.

  Delilah : I don't suspect it has anything to do with that explorer fellow, Mr. Tom Baxter.

  Rita : Now, why would you say that?

  Delilah : The way he speaks, all romantic-like.

  Rita : Yeah. Come on, Delilah. Draw my bath.

  Delilah : Yes, ma'am. Now, will you be wantin' the big bubbles or the asses' milk?

• Theater Manager : Can't you go on? There's an audience.

  Rita : How? Tom was the lynchpin of the story.

  Jason : Right. Whoever you are, you see, sir, although this has been basically my story, Tom moves the expedition along. He lays out the facts...

  Henry : What do you mean your story? It's not your story. Its the story of a man's quest for self fulfillment.

  Jason : It's the story of a complex tortured soul who has...

  Rita : It's the story of the affect of money on true romance.

  Jason : I don't see money coming into it?

  Rita : My upbringing. My wealth! My private schools.

  Henry : I'm the one who marries royalty. I'm the one...

  Rita : Nobody cares.

  Henry : What do you mean they don't care?

  Rita : They wouldn't sell a ticket if it was your story.

  Theater Manager : Stop arguing!

  Rita : And do what?

  Usherette : Maybe you should just turn the projector off.

  Henry : No! No, don't turn the projector off! No, no! It gets black. We disappear.

• The Countess : Where is everybody? Weren't we meeting at the Copacabana?

  Henry : Tom's gone.

  The Countess : What?

  Henry : He left the film.

  Larry : What?

  Rita : The bum walked out on us.

  The Countess : But, the Copa's where the two of us meet. I try to get him to marry me.

  Larry : Forget it. I'm tired of marrying you every night, anyway. We never even get to the bedroom.

  The Countess : Where did Tom go?

  Rita : Into the real world.

  Henry : That two-bit minor character leaves and we're stuck!

  Larry : I wonder what it's like out there?

  The Countess : They don't look like they're having too much fun to me.