Mannequin (1987 film)
Encyclopedia
Mannequin is a 1987 romantic comedy film, starring Andrew McCarthy
, Kim Cattrall
, Meshach Taylor
, James Spader
, G. W. Bailey
, and Estelle Getty
. It was co-written and directed by Michael Gottlieb
, and the original music score was composed by Sylvester Levay
.
Mannequin received a Best Original Song Oscar nomination for its main title tune: "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
", by Starship
. (and #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1987 and reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks the following month.).
It was followed by a sequel, Mannequin Two: On the Move, in 1991.
... Ema ‘Emmy’ Hasure (Kim Cattrall
) hides in a pyramid from her mother, who wants her daughter to marry a camel dung-dealer against Emmy's will. Emmy prays for the gods to get her out of this mess. Her mother denies anything is happening, and goes on about how the gods have more important things to worry about. Yet the gods answer Emmy's prayers; she travels through time, on a hunt for true love.
Philadelphia, 1987... When young mannequin-manufacturer Jonathan Switcher (Andrew McCarthy
) loses himself in his work with a particular model of mannequin (because, according to himself, artwork can't be rushed), he is fired. Jonathan finds work as a party balloon-artist, a gardener and a chef; yet none of these jobs work out because his sculptor background makes him less than ideal for them.
While on a moonlight walk with his girlfriend Roxie Shield (Carole Davis
), Jonathan sees the mannequin he created (and was fired over) in the window of Prince & Company - an upscale department store.
The next morning, Jonathan waits outside Prince & Company...which is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. He saves the manager, Claire Timkin (Estelle Getty
), from being crushed to death by a falling sign. The grateful Claire hires Jonathan under protest from Vice-President Richards (James Spader
), who assigns Jonathan to be a stock boy. In his spare time, Jonathan hits it off with flamboyant window dresser Hollywood Montrose (Meshach Taylor
)...who has been working with Jonathan's favorite mannequin.
That night, Hollywood and Jonathan construct a window display. They have a run-in with the store's night security chief, Captain Felix Maxwell (G. W. Bailey
), and his cowardly bulldog Rambo. When Jonathan is alone with her, the mannequin he is obsessed with comes to life as Emmy (a la Pinnochio). The next morning, Jonathan tells Roxie about Emmy. Being Roxie, she does not believe him.
Jonathan's window-dressing for Prince & Company attracts large audiences, including Roxie...and, unfortunately, B.J. Wert (Steve Vinovich
) - president of Illustra, a department store which is Prince & Company's arch-rival. It doesn't help that VP Richards is a corporate spy for Wert. At their next board meeting, Richards wants to fire Jonathan (ostensibly for showing off with the window displays), but Claire points out that Jonathan's designs are increasing sales for the store. Richards proposes to sell Prince & Company to Illustra for 10% of the former's value, but Claire will not hear of this. The other board members promote Jonathan to visual merchandising.
Emmy and Jonathan's relationship snowballs over the following week. Every night, she helps him and Hollywood create window displays which dazzle everyone at Prince & Company...and which, ultimately, make the store famous throughout Philadelphia. Both dressers still have to deal with Captain Maxwell and Roxie - the latter of whom also has to deal with Armand (Christopher Maher), who keeps angling for sex with her.
One morning, Maxwell is caught sleeping on the job by Claire, who fires him for this. VP Richards sticks up for Maxwell, but succeeds only in getting himself fired to boot. Claire promotes Jonathan again; he is now the youngest vice-president in the history of Prince & Company. Moreover, his window designs are still bringing in a tremendous amount of profits and customers for them...at Illustra's expense.
Armand sneaks into Prince & Company at night and takes pictures of Emmy. The jealous Wert sees the pictures and calls in Richards. They plan to steal Emmy - not knowing that she is alive - and put her on display at Illustra. Jonathan takes Emmy for a ride on his motorcycle. Roxie offers Jonathan work at Illustra, but he already has a job; moreover, he and Emmy are in love.
Maxwell and Richards break into Prince & Company. They search for Emmy but cannot tell her apart from all the other mannequins, so they wind up stealing every last mannequin in the store.
The next morning, Hollywood and Jonathan discover what has happened to Emmy. They dash to Illustra and look around for her. When Wert offers Jonathan Richards' old job, Jonathan suspects the truth and turns him down. Roxie storms out of the office, swearing that Jonathan will never lay eyes on Emmy ever again. Once more, Jonathan leaps to the right conclusion and chases Roxie into an "employees only" area of the store. He is pursued by a dozen security guards, including Maxwell...who has a new attack dog named Terminator. The dog completely ignores Jonathan.
Roxie loads Emmy and all the other stolen mannequins into a trash compactor. Jonathan is cornered by Maxwell's security team, but Hollywood assist by bombarding the guards with a fire hose.
Jonathan charges up the trash incinerator's conveyor belt to rescue Emmy. She comes to life in his hands; the machine's operator, upon seeing this happen, hits an "Emergency Stop" button. Jonathan's love for Emmy has saved them both; the operator, hoping for a similar result, proceeds to kiss and grope every other mannequin on the conveyor belt.
Maxwell and his fellow guards rush in, followed by Wert, who attempts to have Jonathan arrested for trespassing. Then Claire walks in with a VHS tape from her newly-installed CCTV system. Wert attempts to seduce Claire, who will have none of such; she has him, Richards and Maxwell arrested for breaking and entering
, conspiracy and grand theft. Seeing Emmy alive, Maxwell questions his own sanity; the police drag him away to a mental hospital. Wert's final act as president of Illustra is to fire his whole staff, including the treacherous Roxie. Claire, who now owns Illustra as well as Prince & Company, promotes Hollywood to manage the former.
Emmy and Jonathan are married in the shop window of Prince & Company, with Claire as a bridesmaid, and with Hollywood as best man. Looking on, the entire Prince & Company family congratulate them.
flagship store (now Macy's Center City) in Philadelphia. Additional scenes were filmed in the formal gardens behind Hotel Hershey
. Scenes taking place at the fictitious department store Illustra were filmed at Boscov's
department store in the former Camp Hill Shopping Mall (now Camp Hill Shopping Center) near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
.
, who called it "...absolute rock-bottom fare, dispiriting for anyone who remembers what movie comedy should be." Moreover, the film received "Two Thumbs Down" on Siskel & Ebert and The Movies. In his print review, Roger Ebert
awarded it a half star, deeming it "dead" and full of clichés. Rita Kempley of The Washington Post
called the film "made by, for and about dummies." Janet Maslin
of The New York Times
puts the blame on the writer/director: "As co-written and directed by Michael Gottlieb, Mannequin is a state-of-the-art showcase of perfunctory technique." On Rotten Tomatoes
, it achieved a score of 22%
Andrew McCarthy
Andrew Thomas McCarthy is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the 1980s films St. Elmo's Fire, Mannequin, Weekend at Bernie's, Pretty in Pink, and Less Than Zero, and more recently for his role in the television shows Lipstick Jungle, White Collar and Royal Pains.-Career:McCarthy...
, Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
, Meshach Taylor
Meshach Taylor
Meshach Taylor is an American actor.He is perhaps best known for his role as Anthony Bouvier on the sitcom Designing Women. He also had a major role on the sitcom Dave's World, playing Sheldon Baylor, and appeared in Buffalo Bill.-Personal life:Taylor was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of...
, James Spader
James Spader
James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary...
, G. W. Bailey
G. W. Bailey
George William "G.W." Bailey is an American stage, television and film actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in M*A*S*H ; Lieutenant—and later, Captain—Thaddeus Harris in Police Academy...
, and Estelle Getty
Estelle Getty
Estelle Scher-Gettleman , better known by her stage name Estelle Getty, was an American actress, who appeared in film, television, and theatre...
. It was co-written and directed by Michael Gottlieb
Michael Gottlieb
Michael Gottlieb may refer to:*Michael Gottlieb , American bridge player, Michael T.*Michael Gottlieb , flourished 1987–2005*Michael S. Gottlieb Michael Gottlieb may refer to:*Michael Gottlieb (bridge) (1902–1980), American bridge player, Michael T.*Michael Gottlieb (director), flourished...
, and the original music score was composed by Sylvester Levay
Sylvester Levay
Sylvester Levay is a Hungarian composer. He was born 16 May 1945 in Subotica , in the North Bačka District of Vojvodina, Yugoslavia ; his name is pronounced in English similarly to "lave-ah-ee."...
.
Mannequin received a Best Original Song Oscar nomination for its main title tune: "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" is a #1 hit song co-written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren, recorded by Starship. Featured as the theme to the romantic comedy film Mannequin, it hit #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1987 and reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks the following...
", by Starship
Jefferson Starship
Jefferson Starship is an American rock band formed in the early 1970s. The group is a spin-off from the iconic 1960s psychedelic/folk group Jefferson Airplane. The band has undergone several major changes in personnel and genres through the years while retaining the same Jefferson Starship name...
. (and #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1987 and reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks the following month.).
It was followed by a sequel, Mannequin Two: On the Move, in 1991.
Plot summary
Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
... Ema ‘Emmy’ Hasure (Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
) hides in a pyramid from her mother, who wants her daughter to marry a camel dung-dealer against Emmy's will. Emmy prays for the gods to get her out of this mess. Her mother denies anything is happening, and goes on about how the gods have more important things to worry about. Yet the gods answer Emmy's prayers; she travels through time, on a hunt for true love.
Philadelphia, 1987... When young mannequin-manufacturer Jonathan Switcher (Andrew McCarthy
Andrew McCarthy
Andrew Thomas McCarthy is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the 1980s films St. Elmo's Fire, Mannequin, Weekend at Bernie's, Pretty in Pink, and Less Than Zero, and more recently for his role in the television shows Lipstick Jungle, White Collar and Royal Pains.-Career:McCarthy...
) loses himself in his work with a particular model of mannequin (because, according to himself, artwork can't be rushed), he is fired. Jonathan finds work as a party balloon-artist, a gardener and a chef; yet none of these jobs work out because his sculptor background makes him less than ideal for them.
While on a moonlight walk with his girlfriend Roxie Shield (Carole Davis
Carole Davis
Carole Raphaelle Davis is an actress, singer/songwriter, and writer.-Life and career:Davis was born in London to a French mother and American Father. She grew up in England, Scotland, France, Italy and Thailand and moved to New York City as a teenager. Carole attended New York City University and...
), Jonathan sees the mannequin he created (and was fired over) in the window of Prince & Company - an upscale department store.
The next morning, Jonathan waits outside Prince & Company...which is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. He saves the manager, Claire Timkin (Estelle Getty
Estelle Getty
Estelle Scher-Gettleman , better known by her stage name Estelle Getty, was an American actress, who appeared in film, television, and theatre...
), from being crushed to death by a falling sign. The grateful Claire hires Jonathan under protest from Vice-President Richards (James Spader
James Spader
James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary...
), who assigns Jonathan to be a stock boy. In his spare time, Jonathan hits it off with flamboyant window dresser Hollywood Montrose (Meshach Taylor
Meshach Taylor
Meshach Taylor is an American actor.He is perhaps best known for his role as Anthony Bouvier on the sitcom Designing Women. He also had a major role on the sitcom Dave's World, playing Sheldon Baylor, and appeared in Buffalo Bill.-Personal life:Taylor was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of...
)...who has been working with Jonathan's favorite mannequin.
That night, Hollywood and Jonathan construct a window display. They have a run-in with the store's night security chief, Captain Felix Maxwell (G. W. Bailey
G. W. Bailey
George William "G.W." Bailey is an American stage, television and film actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in M*A*S*H ; Lieutenant—and later, Captain—Thaddeus Harris in Police Academy...
), and his cowardly bulldog Rambo. When Jonathan is alone with her, the mannequin he is obsessed with comes to life as Emmy (a la Pinnochio). The next morning, Jonathan tells Roxie about Emmy. Being Roxie, she does not believe him.
Jonathan's window-dressing for Prince & Company attracts large audiences, including Roxie...and, unfortunately, B.J. Wert (Steve Vinovich
Steve Vinovich
-Biography:Vinovich was born in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Jennie J. , a secretary, and Stephen J. Vinovich, an insurance salesman.-Filmography:*Cold Case *8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter...
) - president of Illustra, a department store which is Prince & Company's arch-rival. It doesn't help that VP Richards is a corporate spy for Wert. At their next board meeting, Richards wants to fire Jonathan (ostensibly for showing off with the window displays), but Claire points out that Jonathan's designs are increasing sales for the store. Richards proposes to sell Prince & Company to Illustra for 10% of the former's value, but Claire will not hear of this. The other board members promote Jonathan to visual merchandising.
Emmy and Jonathan's relationship snowballs over the following week. Every night, she helps him and Hollywood create window displays which dazzle everyone at Prince & Company...and which, ultimately, make the store famous throughout Philadelphia. Both dressers still have to deal with Captain Maxwell and Roxie - the latter of whom also has to deal with Armand (Christopher Maher), who keeps angling for sex with her.
One morning, Maxwell is caught sleeping on the job by Claire, who fires him for this. VP Richards sticks up for Maxwell, but succeeds only in getting himself fired to boot. Claire promotes Jonathan again; he is now the youngest vice-president in the history of Prince & Company. Moreover, his window designs are still bringing in a tremendous amount of profits and customers for them...at Illustra's expense.
Armand sneaks into Prince & Company at night and takes pictures of Emmy. The jealous Wert sees the pictures and calls in Richards. They plan to steal Emmy - not knowing that she is alive - and put her on display at Illustra. Jonathan takes Emmy for a ride on his motorcycle. Roxie offers Jonathan work at Illustra, but he already has a job; moreover, he and Emmy are in love.
Maxwell and Richards break into Prince & Company. They search for Emmy but cannot tell her apart from all the other mannequins, so they wind up stealing every last mannequin in the store.
The next morning, Hollywood and Jonathan discover what has happened to Emmy. They dash to Illustra and look around for her. When Wert offers Jonathan Richards' old job, Jonathan suspects the truth and turns him down. Roxie storms out of the office, swearing that Jonathan will never lay eyes on Emmy ever again. Once more, Jonathan leaps to the right conclusion and chases Roxie into an "employees only" area of the store. He is pursued by a dozen security guards, including Maxwell...who has a new attack dog named Terminator. The dog completely ignores Jonathan.
Roxie loads Emmy and all the other stolen mannequins into a trash compactor. Jonathan is cornered by Maxwell's security team, but Hollywood assist by bombarding the guards with a fire hose.
Jonathan charges up the trash incinerator's conveyor belt to rescue Emmy. She comes to life in his hands; the machine's operator, upon seeing this happen, hits an "Emergency Stop" button. Jonathan's love for Emmy has saved them both; the operator, hoping for a similar result, proceeds to kiss and grope every other mannequin on the conveyor belt.
Maxwell and his fellow guards rush in, followed by Wert, who attempts to have Jonathan arrested for trespassing. Then Claire walks in with a VHS tape from her newly-installed CCTV system. Wert attempts to seduce Claire, who will have none of such; she has him, Richards and Maxwell arrested for breaking and entering
Breaking and Entering
Breaking and Entering may refer to:* Burglary* Breaking and Entering * Breaking and Entering * Breaking and Entering * Breaking and Entering: Music from the Film* Breaking & Entering , episode...
, conspiracy and grand theft. Seeing Emmy alive, Maxwell questions his own sanity; the police drag him away to a mental hospital. Wert's final act as president of Illustra is to fire his whole staff, including the treacherous Roxie. Claire, who now owns Illustra as well as Prince & Company, promotes Hollywood to manage the former.
Emmy and Jonathan are married in the shop window of Prince & Company, with Claire as a bridesmaid, and with Hollywood as best man. Looking on, the entire Prince & Company family congratulate them.
Main cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Andrew McCarthy Andrew McCarthy Andrew Thomas McCarthy is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the 1980s films St. Elmo's Fire, Mannequin, Weekend at Bernie's, Pretty in Pink, and Less Than Zero, and more recently for his role in the television shows Lipstick Jungle, White Collar and Royal Pains.-Career:McCarthy... |
Jonathan Switcher |
| Kim Cattrall Kim Cattrall Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's... |
Ema "Emmy" Hasure |
| Estelle Getty Estelle Getty Estelle Scher-Gettleman , better known by her stage name Estelle Getty, was an American actress, who appeared in film, television, and theatre... |
Mrs. Claire Timkin |
| James Spader James Spader James Todd Spader is an American actor best known for his eccentric roles in movies such as Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Crash, Stargate, and Secretary... |
Mr. Richards |
| G. W. Bailey G. W. Bailey George William "G.W." Bailey is an American stage, television and film actor. Although he appeared in many dramatic roles, he may be best remembered for his "crusty" comedic characters such as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in M*A*S*H ; Lieutenant—and later, Captain—Thaddeus Harris in Police Academy... |
Captain Felix Maxwell |
| Meshach Taylor Meshach Taylor Meshach Taylor is an American actor.He is perhaps best known for his role as Anthony Bouvier on the sitcom Designing Women. He also had a major role on the sitcom Dave's World, playing Sheldon Baylor, and appeared in Buffalo Bill.-Personal life:Taylor was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of... |
Hollywood Montrose |
| Carole Davis Carole Davis Carole Raphaelle Davis is an actress, singer/songwriter, and writer.-Life and career:Davis was born in London to a French mother and American Father. She grew up in England, Scotland, France, Italy and Thailand and moved to New York City as a teenager. Carole attended New York City University and... |
Roxie Shield |
| Steve Vinovich Steve Vinovich -Biography:Vinovich was born in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Jennie J. , a secretary, and Stephen J. Vinovich, an insurance salesman.-Filmography:*Cold Case *8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter... |
B.J. Wert |
| Christopher Maher | Armand |
Filming locations
Scenes taking place at the fictitious department store Prince and Company were filmed at Wanamaker'sWanamaker's
Wanamaker's department store was the first department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the first department stores in the United States. At its zenith in the early 20th century, there were two major Wanamaker department stores, one in Philadelphia and one in New York City at Broadway...
flagship store (now Macy's Center City) in Philadelphia. Additional scenes were filmed in the formal gardens behind Hotel Hershey
Hotel Hershey
The Hotel Hershey, built in the 1930s, is a historical landmark, four-star hotel located on a hilltop overlooking Hershey, Pennsylvania. It has 232 guest rooms and of event space....
. Scenes taking place at the fictitious department store Illustra were filmed at Boscov's
Boscov's
Boscov's is an American department store founded by Solomon Boscov in 1911. The first store was in Reading, Pennsylvania, and today 40 stores are spread throughout the Mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Delaware....
department store in the former Camp Hill Shopping Mall (now Camp Hill Shopping Center) near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
.
Reception
The film was successful at the box office, grossing over $42 million, but received negative reviews on its release. It has since become a cult classic. It was savaged by Leonard MaltinLeonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
, who called it "...absolute rock-bottom fare, dispiriting for anyone who remembers what movie comedy should be." Moreover, the film received "Two Thumbs Down" on Siskel & Ebert and The Movies. In his print review, Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
awarded it a half star, deeming it "dead" and full of clichés. Rita Kempley of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
called the film "made by, for and about dummies." Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times. She served as the Times film critic from 1977–1999.- Biography :...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
puts the blame on the writer/director: "As co-written and directed by Michael Gottlieb, Mannequin is a state-of-the-art showcase of perfunctory technique." On Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, it achieved a score of 22%