Watching last night's Emmy Awards telecast was a painful experience. When I wasn't wincing at the five hosts' "banter" or questioning my sobriety during a Josh Groban medley, I was rolling my eyes every time a Z-list presenter bitched about their bit being cut for time. (Hey, crazy old lady from "Desperate Housewives," nobody doubts that you can deliver a Bruce Vilanch punch line. Get over yourself!)
But nothing got my goat more than the Macy's ad, made up of movie and TV clips that took place in the iconic retail chain, that ran during the show. In the midst of "I Love Lucy" shout-outs and the obvious "Miracle at 34th Street" moment, there was a shot of Andrew McCarthy and Estelle Getty walking through a grand retail palace, "Baywatch" slo-mo style. (Thankfully, neither of them was in a red swimsuit.)
But the classic McCarthy/Getty collaboration was from the brilliant 1987 rom-com "Mannequin," a movie that took place at a fictional shop called "Prince and Company" and was shot in the Philadelphia department store, Wanamaker's!
Don't believe me? Check out this clip from a featurette found on the "Mannequin" electronic press kit, in which very smug production designers describe how they discovered the perfect location for the "Citizen Kane" of the '80s. (Side note: I've had the electronic press kits of both "Mannequin" and "Mannequin 2: On the Move" at my desk for three years. Finally, my secret treasure trove comes in handy!)
Purists out there will say, "But Jim, Hecht bought over Wanamaker's in the mid-'90s, and eventually morphed into Macy's. Get a life, Cantiello!" But I say including "Mannequin" in a Macy's montage is an unfair technicality. When Jonathan and Emmy fell in love while lipsynching to Starship's (Oscar-nominated!) "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," they did so in Wanamaker's, not Macy's.
Taking things a step further, I imagine Macy's probably refused to lend their name to the film back in the '80s, which is perhaps why it took place at a fictional store. Is it fair for Macy's to reclaim it decades later? Any "Mannequin" producers want to write in and confirm that for me? Also, any "Mannequin" producers want to be my friend? Your movie changed my life. I'd be honored to take you out to dinner, provided you share some awesome G.W. Bailey gossip.
PS: Any excuse to include my Estelle Getty workout video remix on a blog post is a good one. RIP, Estelle!
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