Cecilia

Living… through the Great Depression, as well as a depression of her own. Very few had it good during the ‘30s, but Cecilia seems to have an especially bleak existence.

Visiting… the Jewel Theater every week, where she loses herself in a new movie. She especially loves the pictures about glamorous socialites, such as The Purple Rose of Cairo, which tells the story of a Manhattan playwright and his life of leisure.

Profession… waitress at a diner. Cecilia spends all day at work getting yelled at by hungry customers and all night getting yelled at by her unemployed husband. 

Interests… dancing, though her husband never really takes her out anymore. Cecilia is forced to daydream about her days on the dance floor.

Relationship Status… married to an unemployed, abusive and philandering husband. As she says to her husband, “All you do is drink and play dice, and I wind up getting smacked!” She’s tried to leave him several times, but can’t seem to find any alternative.

Challenge… finding happiness in the real world, rather than the fantasy life of the movies. Cecilia’s dreams happen to come true when the handsome character of Tom Baxter, an explorer, breaks the fourth wall of the cinema screen and comes to rescue her from her monotonous life. Cecilia is quickly falling for Tom, but can love with a fictional character be sustainable?

Personality… unhappy, wistful, and hopeful for a better future. She is a romantic, wanting to believe in true love at any cost.