Ruth Handler, Mattel Inc. co-inventor and you will inventor of the Barbie Toy, screens this new special 40th Anniversary Barbie in the a 1999 press conference for the New york city.
W hen Greta Gerwig embarked upon their particular happen to be carry out a great tale on the a beneficial toy no identity or internal lives, she looked to Barbie’s background for determination. Mattel, Barbie’s parent providers, contributed this new filmmaker as a consequence of an “immersion” experience-or Barbie boot camp-one to intricate the fresh new legendary doll’s much time history, out-of her debut in the Toy Fair into the New york city when you look at the 1959 so you’re able to their particular status while the world’s very recognizable toy with over a beneficial mil dolls sold.
Gerwig latched on the matchmaking anywhere between Barbie’s originator, Ruth Handler, and Handler’s ded. While in the an interview for TIME’s previous defense facts into the Barbie, Gerwig told me, “A great Barbie film is just ever-going to be a mother-child movie towards the a lot of accounts because it try Ruth Handler and you can Barbara-which was the partnership.”