Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling couldn’t hide the film’s real scene-stealer: Emerald Fennell and her Midge
It was a global bombshell, and for good reason: “Barbie” is fun, modern and unique. And yes, too A long advertisement that at least has the decency not to hide from it. In the 114 minutes, the story of the Mattel doll is told, sometimes in second-minute jokes (like the one about Growing Up Skipper or the dog doing his business) and sometimes in a little more: Have you noticed Midge, the resident of Barbieland, who barely has a few scenes to show off? Be careful because there is a sad, sad story behind this doll.
In the middle
It’s no secret that Ruth Handler copied Barbie from a German doll called Bild Lili, was created three years after the start of Bild, where he had a comic. On March 9, 1959, the Mythos was released in the United States and became an instant success, even though Mattel didn’t give a dime for it. 350,000 Barbies were sold in the first year alone and they bought the rights from German producers to avoid lawsuits.
Okay, we already had the doll, now we just needed it to be alive. First His perfect partner was created: Kenneth Sean Carson, or as we all know him, Ken. And of course she needed a best friend: Margaret Hadley Sherwood, better known as Midge. Midge was born in 1963 with the idea of always staying by Barbie’s side, but Business decisions ruined them forever and they condemned her to being a one-joke character.
The idea was for Midge to avoid criticism of Barbie, who was considered too adult for children. His face was friendlier, even though his body was the same., so both could share clothes, one of the keys to the doll’s success. In addition, it was available in three models: redhead, blonde or brunette, each with a matching swimsuit. For a year, Midge and Barbie were inseparable, but In 1964, Mattel designers decided that it was time for their friend to lead a romantic life: this is how Allan was born.
Malla’s idea
If Midge were Barbie’s best friend, Allan was Ken’s best friend.. They both came onto the market, were repackaged and little else was known. Allan lost track after his bendable knee version in 1965. Midge disappeared in 1967 and lost popularity in front of characters like Skipper, Barbie’s teenage sister or Francie, the modern cousin.
In fact, a year after her disappearance, Christie arrived, the first African-American doll in the series who spoke and She remained friends with Barbie for decades and completely forgot about Midge. Two decades passed before Midge was unceremoniously brought back onto the market. in a series of beach dolls set in California. The character appeared continuously in different styles until In 1991, at Mattel, they decided it was time to get married.
They revived Allan, changed his name (now “Alan”), dressed him in white and The whole family went on a trip around the world. Well, everywhere in the world except Brazil, where for some reason they forced Ken’s best friend to marry a certain Viky, who was never heard from again. After the wedding, Alan returned to anonymity. At least until the fateful year of 2003, the moment when Alan and Midge would give us an update on their lives in the “Happy Family” line. which became a nightmare for Mattel.
Embarrassing mess
Alan and Midge publicly introduced their three-year-old son Ryan (with the opportunity to purchase both in their African-American versions). And also a very special announcement: Midge was pregnant. Remember that Barbie could never have children: for Ruth Handler, her creator, her represented this time in a young woman’s life faced with the responsibility of starting a family. Bad luck, now it was Midge’s turn.
In this case, A pregnant belly was attached to the doll with a magnet Once removed, another new character was revealed: a baby, which could be removed for play. An absolutely grotesque idea that appealed to the most conservative audience complained that it encouraged teenage pregnancies. Considering Midge was married twelve years ago and had been on the shelves for four decades, perhaps it wasn’t so far-fetched that she would have a child.
The problem was not a lack of morals, but the idea itself was a horror: Midge sold herself with a cot and a changing table for her son (or daughter, something that depended entirely on luck) and Despite the insanity of the idea and the anger of conservatives, it ultimately didn’t work. and at Mattel they had to create a version of the character that was exclusive to Walmart supermarkets and wasn’t pregnant. At the end, Midge’s official daughter was named Nikki and she still had time to have another named Cassandra.. The happy family even had a dog before they disappeared again in 2004. Then what?
Who is Alan?
When we next saw Midge, she had no children, no husband, and no intentions: It was in the web series “Barbie in the Dream House” where she is once again Barbie’s best friend. Both had lost touch over the years, although while traveling and Malibu To accompany them, she finds a new world and falls in love with Ryan.. He, for his part, is in love with Barbie, but that’s another story. Not Alan, no children, nothing like that.
Midge was briefly put back up for sale, and that’s the last we heard of her until she was played in the film by Emerald Fennell, actress in “The Crown” or “The Danish Girl” and director of “Killing Eve” or “A Promising Young Woman”. “. In the film she was pregnant again, He turned the Mattel disaster into a meme and turned Alan into the protagonist of a life he never had. What will be available again soon? No doubt. Maybe it’s time to do them justice.
