Mannequin (1987) 20th Century Fox/Comedy-Fantasy RT: 88 minutes Rated PG (language, cartoonish violence, sexual content/references, implied nudity) Director: Michael Gottlieb Screenplay: Edward Rugoff and Michael Gottlieb Music: Sylvester Levay Cinematography: Tim Suhrstedt Release date: February 13, 1987 (US) Cast: Andrew McCarthy, Kim Cattrall, Estelle Getty, Meshach Taylor, James Spader, G.W. Bailey, Carole Davis, Steve Vinovich, Christopher Maher. Box Office: $42.7M (US)
Rating: ****
Maybe I’m a little biased in my love for the delightful rom-com fantasy Mannequin. After all, it was shot in my neck of the woods- i.e. Philadelphia, PA. Director Michael Gottlieb (Mr. Nanny) makes great use of the City of Brotherly Love. He shows us familiar landmarks like the art museum, South Street and the now-closed Wanamaker’s department store where the interiors were filmed. As a lifelong resident of the Philly Region, it’s fun to point at a scene in a movie and say “I know where that is!” or “I’ve been there!” The Main Line audience I saw it with on President’s Day ’87 apparently felt the same way judging by their reactions to scenes showing familiar places or locations.
Mannequin plays like a fairy tale about two lost souls who find and fall for each other despite a HUGE age difference, approximately 4000 years. The prologue in ancient Egypt introduces us to Emmy (Cattrall, Turk 182) as she pleads with the gods to get her out of an arranged marriage to a camel dung dealer. Lo and behold, her prayers are answered. They send her through time to seek her true love. It takes a while, needless to say.
In ’87, Jonathan Switcher (McCarthy, Pretty in Pink) is a struggling artist looking for his calling in life. He wants to create art; it’s a feeling not shared by any of his employers. He’s fired from his job at a mannequin factory for taking six days to build one. After he loses a series of other jobs for the same reason, his icy girlfriend Roxie (Davis, The Flamingo Kid) dumps him. As he wanders the rainy streets of the city sad and dejected, Jonathan spots his mannequin in the window of struggling department store Prince & Company. Instantly drawn to his greatest work of art, he returns the next morning just in time to save store owner Claire (Getty, The Golden Girls) from a falling sign. By way of gratitude, she gives Jonathan a job.
Assigned to the stock room by weaselly vice president Richards (Spader, Less Than Zero), Jonathan throws himself into his work. He becomes acquainted with flamboyant window dresser Hollywood (Taylor, The Beast Within) whom he starts helping out after hours. One night when he’s alone with his mannequin, she comes to life right before his eyes. Guess who it is? That’s right, it’s Emmy from ancient Egypt! He initially thinks he’s having a nervous breakdown which, of course, he isn’t. Naturally, she only comes to life in front of Jonathan which makes everybody else think he’s crazy.
Besides Richards, Jonathan also has to worry about the nighttime head of security Maxwell (Bailey, Police Academy), a bumbling sort who’s immediately suspicious of the young man. He spies on Jonathan (incompetently, of course) as he creates elaborate window displays starring Emmy that attract crowds of potential shoppers. This does not go over well with a competing department store that wants to buy out Prince & Company for 10% of its worth. Would it surprise you if I told you Roxie works for the competition? I thought not.
Mannequin is a cute and funny movie. It has its detractors, but I find it a complete delight. It’s almost like a live-action Disney movie from the 70s albeit one with PG-level profanity and sexual references. It has a cute couple in love amidst fantastical circumstances. The two leads have nice chemistry. This applies to both the living version and mannequin version of Emmy. McCarthy, who has a genuine sincerity about him, is ideal as a nice, sensitive type. It makes you question why he even bothered with a shrew like Roxie in the first place. Cattrall is appealing as Emmy, the muse who inspires Jonathan. Their love story is both charming and enchanting. One of my favorite scenes is the late night ride through the city on Jonathan’s motorcycle. Everybody sees a strange young man with a mannequin on the back of his bike. He doesn’t care; he’s in love.
The villains in Mannequin are the hiss and boo variety. Bailey appears to be doing a variation of his Harris character in the Police Academy movies. Maxwell is an inept, thick-headed moron with a cowardly bulldog named Rambo instead of a lame-brained human flunky. Spader, with his thick glasses and greasy parted hair, looks like the class creep from high school. Davis is just cold and mean.
As for the rest of the cast, Getty is very good as the store owner with a heart of gold. Just don’t cross her; she can be a tough broad when need be. Some might think Taylor’s obviously gay character is an offensive stereotype. To be honest, Hollywood makes Richard Simmons look butch. Here’s the real deal. His performance is so OTT, you can’t take him as anything other than an exaggerated cartoon version of a gay man. Besides, it’s all in good fun. He’s actually the funniest character in the movie with his outrageous wardrobe and flamboyant personality. He’s a great supporting character and I wouldn’t have written the role any differently.
As you can see, I am in love with Mannequin. I think it’s GREAT! Sure, it has a few cheesy slapstick sequences like Jonathan swinging back and forth on the sign that nearly creams his future employer. So what? It makes up for any shortcomings with a sweet little love story and a terrific theme song from Starship, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”. It always puts a smile on my face. Isn’t that the most important thing?
