MAKING MR RIGHT

US, 1987, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ann Magnusson, John Malkovich, Glenne Headley, Laurie Metcalfe, Ben Masters, Polly Bergen, Hart Bochner.
Directed by Susan Seidelman.

Making Mr Right is a light comical satire from Susan Seidelman, director of the low-budget Smithereens and the very popular Desperately Seeking Susan. Once again, it focuses on young people in society with an offbeat touch. However, the treatment is slight. A P.R. executive, played by Ann Magnusson, is to promote an android, Ulysses. John Malkovich (Death of a Salesman, Places in the Heart, The Killing Fields) plays the rather straight-laced scientist who invents the android as well as Ulysses, the android himself. There is some expected satire and comedy. The conclusion drawn, with a feminist touch, perhaps, is that the android had more life and personality than the human man.

Slight, comic, science fiction satire.

1. Enjoyable comedy? Satire? Focus on contemporary technology? Romance?

2. The work of Susan Seidelman? From low-budget director to Hollywood films? The feminine and feminist perspective?

3. The atmosphere of Florida, sunshine state, space developments, politics, P.R., wealth?

4. The introduction to Frankie: the clash with Steve, going to work, the, feminine comedy touches as if the heroine were inept and finally arriving to be the top executive at a meeting? Her going to Chemtec? Her meeting Jeff and their instant dislike, her seeing Ulysses? Her involvement with the project? Teaching Ulysses ? and making him emotional? Jeff’s reaction? Steve and his campaign and her dropping him? His employing Susie? The arrival of Trisha, her plight? Listening to her about her marriage break-up? Her sister getting married, her mother and the pressures for the wedding? Her growing friendship with Ulysses, his getting away, the comedy of the escape through the mall? Buying the clothes? The return? The gifts? Ulysses and his computing and buying things for Frankie? The wedding, her response to Ulysses? Don and his arrival, the satire on the soap operas? Trisha and her reaction to Don? The press conference, her going to see Ulysses? The end with Ulysses at the door? Romance? Portrait of a woman? Executive?

5. Steve and the smooth political type, his P.R. on the television, Frankie's breaking with him, his campaign, Susie, the political animal, taking advantage of every situation, his giving away the bride at the wedding, the clashes with Frankie, his growing a moustache, his taking it off for Frankie's sake, the fight with Ulysses and his still making political capital out of it? The satire on American politics?

6. Jeff as the stolid scientist, his work and dedication, knowledge, severity, his protection of Ulysses, his space dream (from the time that he was a young boy)? Going to the wedding? The encounter with Trisha and his almost melting? Sandy and her pursuit of him and then irony of her attack after the incidents with Ulysses? The press conference and his going into space because he didn't relate well to people?

7. Ulysses as the android in the image of Jeff? The technology, the humanity? The comedy of his learning, his escape, buying the clothes, the incidents in the mall, Sandy mistaking him for Jeff and the earrings, the meal and Sandy desperate? His buying spree? Hitchhiking to the wedding? The fight at the wedding? The successes of the campaign? The media taking him up?. The press conference and his answers? At the door for Frankie at the end? Technology and the male android?

8. The sub-plot with Trisha and her marital woes, Don and his sexy image on the soap operas? His coming to the wedding and the punch-up?

9. Frankie's mother, her social concerns, the wedding and her punk daughter?

10. Sandy and her coming on to Jeff, the ironic comedy and her humiliation with Ulysses?

11. Themes of modern technology? Modern politics? Relationships between men and women? Poking fun at the image of women? of men?