722 Steiner Street
at Grove (turreted house of the left) is the stepchild of Postcard
Row, which usually refers to the six Queen Anne Victorians at 710-720
Steiner. Detail |
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.
More
about Maxie |