Maxie

Maxie

Year: 1985

Runtime: 98 mins

Language: English

Director: Paul Aaron

FantasyRomanceComedy

After Nick and Jan settle into a San Francisco apartment, their eccentric landlady tells them the story of Maxie, a flamboyant party girl from the 1920s who died in a car crash the morning before her big Hollywood studio audition. Maxie's restless ghost still haunts the building, even possessing Jan, and will only move on if she can finally land that audition.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Maxie (1985)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Maxie (1985). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day

The main action unfolds in a contemporary urban setting as a married couple settles into a rundown apartment. Interwoven are flashbacks and a spectral link to Maxie Malone’s 1920s era, revealed through the apartment itself and a fateful Cleopatra audition.

Location

San Francisco

The film is set in a faded apartment building in San Francisco. The building becomes the portal to a past life when Maxie Malone left a message behind its walls. Modern life around the city contrasts with the apartment's lingering 1920s atmosphere.

🏙️ Urban city 🏚️ Historic apartment building

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:44

Main Characters – Maxie (1985)

Meet the key characters of Maxie (1985), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Nick Chaney (Mandy Patinkin)

A practical husband whose life is upended by a supernatural link to Maxie Malone. He navigates tension at work and in his marriage as the living conduit for Maxie’s presence. His curiosity conflicts with the inexplicable events surrounding the apartment.

🎭 Ambitious 👔 Husband 🌀 Entangled with Maxie

Jan / Maxie Malone (Glenn Close)

Nick’s wife, initially staid, who becomes host to Maxie’s spirit. The possession unleashes her repressed sexuality and boldness, transforming her interactions at parties and in the Cleopatra audition. She embodies the crossover between two eras’ personas.

🎭 Actress 💃 Repressed turned liberated 🧬 Dual identity

Mrs. Lavin (Ruth Gordon)

The eccentric upstairs landlady who reveals the apartment’s Maxie Malone history. She is overwhelmed by the discovery but acts as a catalyst for the film’s supernatural link between past and present.

🏚️ Landlady 🗝️ Keeper of secrets

Policeman

The street-level authority who briefly interrupts Nick and Maxie’s escapades but ultimately lets them go. The scene underscores the blurred line between danger and freedom in Maxie’s world.

🚓 Authority 🧭 Threshold crossing

Harry Hamlin (himself)

A cameo appearance by the actor playing himself during the Cleopatra audition, providing a meta layer to the film’s performance world.

🎬 Cameo 🗣️ Self-portrait

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:44

Major Themes – Maxie (1985)

Explore the central themes of Maxie (1985), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌀 Identity

A ghostly soul inhabits Jan, merging past and present. The possession raises questions of free will, selfhood, and how two lives can coexist within one body. The film uses this boundary-crossing to explore personal awakening and dependence.

🎭 Performance

Maxie’s star persona returns through Jan’s body, culminating in a Cleopatra audition. The line between acting and living blurs as characters reveal and reinvent themselves on stage and in life. Performance is shown as both art and survival.

💃 Liberation

The possession allows Jan to express sexuality and confidence she previously suppressed. Maxie’s vivacious spirit empowers a freer sense of self, offering a rebirth through shared memory. The result is a more liberated, self-assured woman.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:44

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Playful ghost stories like Maxie

Mischievous ghosts from the past bring chaos and liberation to the present.Discover movies like Maxie where ghosts are more mischievous than menacing. These whimsical fantasy comedies and romances feature spirits who shake up the status quo, leading to humorous situations and heartwarming personal transformations. If you enjoyed the lighthearted chaos of Maxie's haunting, you'll love these films.

whimsicalmagicalplayfulnostalgicupliftingbittersweetcharming

Narrative Summary

In these stories, a ghost's presence disrupts the ordinary world, often by possessing a character or directly interacting with them. The conflict arises from the chaos this creates, but the resolution is typically positive, with the ghost finding peace and the living characters gaining new confidence or perspective.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared tone of whimsical supernatural fun, their focus on benevolent spirits as catalysts for change, and their blend of light fantasy with comedic and romantic elements. The similarity lies in the joyful, liberating feel of the haunting.

Movies about magical self-discovery like Maxie

Characters find confidence and a new lease on life via magical intervention.If you liked how Maxie used a ghostly possession for Jan's liberation, you'll enjoy these films about magical transformations. These stories explore characters discovering their hidden confidence, passion, or talent through fantastical means, blending romance, comedy, and light drama for an uplifting experience.

upliftingmagicalself-discoveryliberatingplayfulromanticconfidentbittersweet

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a character, often initially shy or unfulfilled, whose life is invaded by a magical force. This force acts as a liberating agent, allowing them to experiences and express parts of themselves they previously suppressed. The central conflict involves integrating this new, bold identity into their real life, leading to a climactic moment of truth or performance.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a core theme of using fantasy as a metaphor for personal liberation. They connect through a specific character arc—from repression to expression—driven by supernatural elements, and maintain a tone that is ultimately hopeful and empowering despite the initial chaos.

Unlock the Full Story of Maxie

Don't stop at just watching — explore Maxie in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Maxie is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Maxie Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Maxie, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Maxie Summary

Maxie Timeline

Track the full timeline of Maxie with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Maxie Timeline

Maxie Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Maxie that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Maxie Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Maxie

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Maxie: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Maxie

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