Cecilia is a waiter at a small New Jersey restaurant, living a grey and trapped life in the shadow of the Great Depression.Shuving through the cold streets and the noisy restaurant day after day, she could hardly feel the color of life.However, there was a door always open for her - the dilapidated but warm cinema became her only escape from reality. Whenever the screen lights up, her world is filled with light and shadow.The world in the movie is bright and full of hope, which makes her temporarily forget the hardships of reality.Especially the Purple Rose of Cairo, which became her spiritual comfort.In the film, the elegant, brave and fearless archaeologist Tom Baxter broke into her sight again and again and quietly walked into her lonely heart. On the afternoon when she was unemployed and her life was at its lowest point, Cecilia walked into the theater again.She sat in a familiar seat, looking at Tom on the screen and smiling towards her - at that moment, it seemed as if the whole world had stopped for her.