San Francisco in Cinema: Maxie

Grace Cathedral
As Jan, Glenn Close is possessed by the ghost of Maxie, a might-have-been starlet whose big audition was interrupted by a car crash in the late 1920s. Jan works as a secretary at Grace Cathedral. When she and husband Nick (Mandy Patinkin) move into the house at the end of Postcard Row, they quickly discover the ghost of Maxie Malone. The flapper is also played by Carole Lombard in an uncredited silent film clip. Working out some unfinished business through Jan, Maxie goes shopping at the Crocker Galleria. The 1985 comedy/drama truly stinks. At least it serves as a record of the card catalog room at the old Main Library. Valerie Curtin is Nick's sexually harassing library boss. The last half reaches unexpected levels of preposterousness when Maxie gets an audition, an acting job, and is cast as the next Cleopatra - all in 48 hours. Considered a camp classic by some, Maxie was directed by Paul Aaron and also stars Ruth Gordon. While her role here is nothing special, Gordon is a San Francisco favorite for her performance as Maude in Harold and Maude

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