1990 and the years that followed were Grease, “Physical,”And Xanadu, Olivia Newton-John made her TV movie debut as a department store mannequin brought to life — and no, this probably wasn’t the living-mannequin story you’re thinking of right now. Let’s take a look at the masterpiece that is.A mom for ChristmasIt might take some time so it is worth sitting down.
Before 1990, live mannequins were seen on TV and in films. They were confused and looked for a thimble (Anne Francis on a 1960 episode). The Twilight Zone), some were inhabited by ancient Egyptian spirits traveling centuries to find true love (Kim Cattrall in 1987’s Mannequin). Or you can skip all the way to 2000’sLife SizeWhen a boy Lindsay Lohan receives a doll as a birthday present, it transforms into Tyra bankss. These women were all able to do it. Shine brightly and shine farNewton-John, however, was the one who did it best. Monday, April 10, 2010: Died73
The film includes many Newton-John songs (written and performed by her). longtime collaborator John FarrarShe is a great actress, but her performance as Amy (a mannequin) in a Cincinnati departmental store with black-and white tile floors and a magic clerk played by Doris Roberts is what really stands out.
This is still the era of peak American mall culture, so in this film kids regularly hang out here, standing around in the women’s clothing section and calling each other “dweebs”You wore dresses that were too floral. 11-year-old Jessica (Juliet Sorci Duncan) is on the receiving end of this bullying, but she’s mostly busy staring at other girls shopping with their moms, wishing hers hadn’t died when she was three. She confides her deepest wish to Roberts — she wants a mom for Christmas — and suddenly Newton-John materializes at her front door.
Amy, just like the other mannequins in film, is only human for a short time. She must return to work on Christmas Eve. She makes the most of her time, being Jess’ dream mom and helping her to navigate her crush at school while also encouraging her to overcome stage fear. Amy also has her own experiences such as sleeping.“You just lie there!”) and falling in love with Jess’ dad (Doug Sheehan). After decorating a Christmas tree using 12 taper candles, she learned fire safety. The department store is in danger of replacing its mannequins all with faceless, horrifying ones. But, as with many Christmas films, it ends happily. Amy is saved and can be called human forever.
For more information, visit the IMDb pageChristmas with Mom lists in their trivia section that Newton-John completed her crying scene in one take, but that shouldn’t be a revelation: Newton-John could do anything, including mastering a role as a mannequin in a TV film she was clearly over-qualified to star in. She’d go on to appear in others, including 1994’s A Christmas Romance and even hosting the children’s seriesTimeless Tales from Hallmark All of these are almost forgotten these days. But I’d watch A Mom For ChristmasEvery holiday season on Disney channel. I even drunkenly put it on for my family when I realized that someone had uploaded all of the 91 magical minutes. YouTube.
Juliet Sorci Duncan (playing Jessica) said that Newton-John was unlike any other person she had worked with. “Her generosity and kindness were her true superpowers, it just so happened that she was insanely talented and gorgeous as well,”She tells Rolling Stone. “Being around her, you would never know she was a celebrity. We filmed A Mom for Christmas in Ohio and it was Halloween, so Olivia took her daughter, Chloe [Lattanzi], and I trick-or-treating. People would recognize her and invite us in for apple cider. She would accept so graciously, she took so much time to talk to everyone. After we wrapped she made a point to not lose contact. She was the type of person that called to tell me she had breast cancer so I wouldn’t find out in the press. When I had to undergo surgery years later, Olivia was my first visitor. She was so busy but she took the time to be there. There are endless stories like this. She truly had the biggest heart and I am so grateful I got to know her.”
As we remember Newton-John and her most famous roles, let’s also cherish the obscure ones, like the mannequin in A Mom For Christmas. Amy was awkward in everyday life. Breathing and blinking were foreign concepts to her, but she was inquisitive, charming, and loving — and the most endearing mannequin ever portrayed on film.