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GIRLS AND DOLLS is a character sketch of Robin Newland, a professional stylist unusually obsessed with and fanatic about dolls. Through conversations with Robin and those who know her best, the film portrays the fixation as the end result of and escape from an unpleasant childhood. Those interviewed relay the detailed personal stories Robin concocts for each doll (one, for instance, lives a complete sham, repressing her suspicion that her boyfriend is a closeted homosexual) and the delicate "surgery" she regularly performs on them (primarily head removal and replacement). Juxtaposing the inherent playfulness of the toys with the real issues Robin has faced throughout her life, the film touches on serious themes including absentee parents, sexuality, and the obstacles of growing up in a ghetto.