Maxie (film)
| Maxie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Paul Aaron |
| Produced by |
Carter DeHaven Rich Irvine (exec) James L. Stewart (exec) |
| Written by |
Patricia Resnick Jack Finney (book) |
| Starring |
Glenn Close Mandy Patinkin Ruth Gordon Barnard Hughes |
| Cinematography | Fred Schuler |
| Editing by | Lynzee Klingman |
| Distributed by | Orion Pictures |
| Release dates |
|
| Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2,564,278 |
Maxie is a 1985 fantasy film. It is directed by Paul Aaron and stars Glenn Close, Mandy Patinkin, Valerie Curtin, Ruth Gordon and Barnard Hughes.
Overview
The plot is based on the 1973 novel Marion's Wall by Jack Finney about a normal woman living in San Francisco who is possessed by a very outgoing woman named Maxie, in the film, who died on her way to a movie audition in Hollywood in the 1920s. She has returned and wants to fulfill her destiny.
Cast
- Glenn Close as Jan / Maxie
- Mandy Patinkin as Nick
- Ruth Gordon as Mrs. Lavin
- Barnard Hughes as Bishop Campbell
- Valerie Curtin as Miss Sheffer
Plot
When husband and wife Nick and Jan move into an old house in San Francisco, they uncover a message under layers of wallpaper left by a previous tenant. ("Maxie lived here! Read it and weep!").
The daft landlady from upstairs is overwhelmed when she sees the message and tells them about a girl who lived there in the 1920s. Maxie was a brash young party girl who died in a car crash the morning before her big audition for a Hollywood studio. Her only movie legacy, mere minutes on film, is dug up by Nick who watches it with his wife.
Just after Jan goes to bed, Maxie's ghost appears. She has never seen herself on film. She laments never having a shot at stardom and then vanishes. Nick can't figure out if the house is really haunted or if he is hallucinating. He also has his hands full with Miss Scheffer, his boss, who has romantic designs on him.
Maxie eventually takes over Jan's body, first to experience life, then to try out for a television commercial and ultimately to go to Hollywood for a movie audition she is offered after the commercial. Finally she can fulfill her destiny. Her misadventures mess up Jan's and Nick's lives, to the point that Jan is pursued by her boss, Bishop Campbell, who wants to exorcise her. Nick remains utterly fascinated by this woman, who looks exactly like the wife he still loves.
Awards
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
- 1986, Glenn Close was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actress
- 1986, Ruth Gordon was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
- 1986, Paul Aaron won the Silver Raven
Fantasporto
- 1987, Maxie was nominated for the Best Film Award International Fantasy Film Award for Best Film
Critical response
Critic Roger Ebert, in a review dated September 27, 1985, wrote, "...if Maxie had any brains, she'd appear in Jan's body, take one look at the script, and decide she was better off dead."[1]
References
- ↑ Ebert, Roger (September 27, 1985). . Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
External links
- Maxie at the Internet Movie Database
- Maxie at Rotten Tomatoes
- Maxie at Box Office Mojo