Conference bookie::movies

1161.0. "Harriet the Spy" by VAXUUM::KEEFE () Thu Aug 29 1996 15:14

This was filmed in Toronto I think. She has perfectly multicultural
pals, mostly overplayed, including a black girl science genius
in the manner of (ack) Wesley Crusher, a sensitive poor boy, a snooty
blonde girl, an oriental sidekick, etc. 

They all wear trendy clothes and seem to have scads of free time in
which to cavort around in their urban yet remarkably car-free or
danger-free neighborhood. Terrific! 

I hate this. They take out all the damn cars. I mentioned it to my
kids--hey, there's no cars! We noticed only the picturesque old
clunker of a truck owned by the Chinese restaurant, and a taxi that
comes to pick up Golly the nanny (an unnecessary character I thought,
played uninterestingly by Rosie O'Donnell).

So it takes place in this urban treacle-land that retains all the
fun parts of the city without any of the icky bits. 

In spite of the irksome trappings I liked some scenes. In which snobby 
girl reads Harriet's diary aloud. And the play at the very end where
it seemed they all loosened up a bit. Dancing gravy!

Neil