anne bancroft play estelle and a die jewish mother who ask her devoted son ( ron silver ) to locate reclusive one time movie star greta garbo and introduce the two before estelle check out for good . might have be entitle bancroft talk a the actress assault this uncertain comedic or dramatic or sentimental material for it duration . hot or cold director sidney lumet can not get a consistent rhythm go and and bancroft constant overact isn not scale back at all by the filmmaker he keep her right upfront represent cute and teary eyed and ranting . estelle become a drag on this scenario ( not that the thinly conceive plot have much go on besides ) . silver and co star carrie fisher and catherine hick end up with very little to do but support the star and and everyone be trample by her hamming . half from .