Mannequin Two: On the Move * (1987, William Ragsdale, Kristy Swanson) – Classic Movie Review 12,999

The 1991 romantic comedy film Mannequin Two: On the Move is the inferior sequel to Mannequin, in which another department store employee (William Ragsdale) frees a spirit (Kristy Swanson) who has been imprisoned as a mannequin for a millennium.

Director Stewart Raffill’s 1991 American romantic comedy film Mannequin Two: On the Move is the even worse sequel to Mannequin, a fairly poor film from 1987, with a different star cast. This time another department store employee (William Ragsdale) frees a spirit (Kristy Swanson) who has been imprisoned as a mannequin for a millennium.

Kristy Swanson plays peasant girl Jessie who is enchanted by an evil sorcerer’s magic necklace, freezing her as a mannequin for 1,000 years or until the necklace is removed by her true love. In modern day Philadelphia, she is freed by Jason Williamson (William Ragsdale), a new employee of the Prince and Company department store (scene of Mannequin) and the reincarnation of Jessie’s original love, Prince William.

It’s a romantic comedy so Jessie and Jason then fall in love, but meanwhile Count Spretzle (Terry Kiser), descendant of the sorcerer, is after them.

William Ragsdale and Kristy Swanson are pleasant and appealing enough, but original stars Andrew McCarthy, Kim Cattrall are much missed. It tries hard to be fresh and amusing, with the actors game and the plot inventive, but the silly script lacks sufficient charm and enough of a sense of good-natured, easy-going fun.

It’s harmless but it’s brainless. If you see it coming, get on the move.

Sequels without the original stars rarely work. Here only actors Mesach Taylor and Andrew Hill Newman return from the original film, with Taylor back as Hollywood Montrose and mentioning having witnessed a similar romance in the first film.

Gladden Entertainment and 20th Century Fox wanted a sequel as the first film was a hit, but this one was a box office bomb, grossing $3.8 million against a $13 million budget.

The grand court at the original Wanamaker’s at 1300 Market Street in Philadelphia in 2017.

Filming took place in John Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia (now Macy’s Center City), standing in for Prince and Company in the film, like it did in the original.

The score is composed by David McHugh. The Mannequin theme song ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’ by Starship, written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, is again featured.

The cast are Kristy Swanson as Jessie, William Ragsdale as Jason Williamson/ Prince William, Meshach Taylor as Hollywood Montrose/ Club Doorman, Terry Kiser as Count Gunther Spretzle/ Sorcerer, Stuart Pankin as Mr James, Cynthia Harris as Mrs Williamson/ Queen, Andrew Hill Newman as Andy Ackerman, and Robert Pilarski as Bob.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,999

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