Material-American girl

Just in time for the starter shot that American shoppers call Thanksgiving Day weekend comes a two-hour commercial, uh, full-length feature film “inspired by” the American Girl doll collection.

Set to air Tuesday night on the WB, Samantha: An American Girl Holiday, casts as its heroine a turn-of-the-century lass with enough pluck and moxie to take on sling-shot-wielding bullies and to cross class lines in search of everlasting friendship. The cobblestone streets and clopping carriage horses featured in promos have likely already put young marketing targets in a tizzy that doctors of the day might have diagnosed as “early onset hysteria.”

Add to the little-girl appeal the fact that Mia Farrow and newcomer Anna Sophia Robb (in the title role) wear the kind of richly covered silk and satin dresses that make X chromosomes twirl about and shout, “Oh, mumsie, isn’t it exquisite!”

Young Samantha is no doubt a better role model than Britney Spears. And while it's unlikely that corsets will replace belly shirts as “the rage,” don’t be surprised when your 9-year-old wields her newfound pluck and moxie in a lobbying effort for the $84 dolls and their corresponding outfits ($20-plus) that would put the NRA to shame.

Oh, and it’s sponsored by Tide—for moms looking forward to hand-washing those precious little outfits.

--Posted by Deanna Zammit

November 22, 2004 | Permalink