MANNEQUIN

US, 1987, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kim Cattrell, Andrew Mc Carthy, Estelle Getty, G.W. Bailey, James Spader, Meshach Taylor.
Directed by Michael Gottlieb.

Mannequin is a comic piece of fluff. Kim Cattrall portrays an Egyptian who comes to life in a store window in modern Philadelphia. She helps the hero, Andrew Mc Carthy, in his designing windows. They fall in love. There are various sub plots in the screwball comedy tradition. Estelle Getty is enjoyable as the head of the shop, G.W. Bailey imitates his Police Academy style. There is an over the top performance by Meshach Taylor as a flamboyant window-dresser. James Spader, with a rest from his more villainous roles, portrays a prissy department head.

1. Enjoyable comedy? Broad appeal? Audience?

2. The use of Philadelphia, the department stores? Special effects and stunts for Emmy and her reappearing and her turning into a mannequin?

3. The implausibility of the plot - especially enjoyable? The prologue in ancient Egypt? Emmy and her refusal to worry her mother? Her coming through the centuries?

4. Jonathan and his work, his being sacked, the various jobs and disasters, saving the owner from the falling sign, getting a job, falling in love with Emmy, his success, her coming to life and their falling in love, the design of the windows, Richards and his attacks, the nights with Emmy and the designs, their playing together in the shop? Rambo and the pursuit, disasters? Roxy and her suspicions? The collage of the window designs? Hollywood and his help? The rivalry between the two department stores, the fights, the stealing of the models, Jonathan to the rescue, Emmy, alive, the happy ending?

5. Emmy and Egypt, coming alive for Jonathan, seen only by him, the adventures in the shop, Including hang-gliding? The times with Jonathan, the designs, falling in love, on the bike? Turning into the dummy when people looked? The kidnapping, almost destroyed, coming to life? Happy ending? Her stories about knowing Christopher Columbus, etc.?

6. The owner, the tradition of the store, saved by Jonathan, giving him a job, the threat of the takeover, their antagonism, the meetings, Richards, the sack? The final confrontation?

7. Richards and his being obsequious, in cahoots with, trying to sabotage the store, antagonistic towards Jonathan, using Felix but despising him, the sack, going to the opposition, the meetings?

8. Roxy as friend to Jonathan, being stood up, the pursuit by Armand, in the pay of the opposition, her spying?

9. Felix and the Police Academy satire on the veteran security guard, Rambo, the terminator?

1o. The world of shops, the big cities, window displays? Comedy and romance?