Mattel's popular line of his -torically themed dolls has its big-screen debut on July 2, with Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. Already a hit with critics, the G-ratedfilm, co-produced by Mattel, follows Kit (played by Abigail Breslin of Little Miss Sunshine fame) as she comes of age in the Great Depression. Her father loses his job. Her home is threatened with foreclosure. Her friends are hungry. But the hard-times story line hasn't stopped Mattel from cranking out pricey merchandise tie-ins. Helpingrnthe $90 doll do her chores: a "wash day" set ($80) and a stove with "faux-marbleized enamel top" ($68). And for playtime: a tree house ($250). How about dinner and a movie screening at an American Doll store? (About $45 per person; the doll gets in free.) Mattel hasn't completely missed the incongruity. It's donating some proceeds to local children's charities. In partnership with builder Pardee Homes, it's also auctioning off five kid-size playhouses to benefit the homeless.
展开▼
