Curtain Call (1998)

My Review

“Curtain Call” is a romantic comedy movie about a struggling book publisher who buys an old Manhattan townhouse. Much to his surprise, it is haunted by the ghosts of two bickering and married theater stars who teach him about life and love. Director Peter Yates (“Bullitt” 1968) put together a smooth and unchallenging formulaic film which does contain high production values, professional performances, and good writing by Andrew S. Karsch and Todd Alcott.

The stars of the show are Michael Caine and Maggie Smith as the supernatural couple, James Spader as the male lead, and Polly Walker as his girl friend. Co-stars include Buck Henry, Sam Shepard, Marcia Gay Harden, Francis Sternhagen, Julianne Nicholson, and Frank Whaley. The watchable “Curtain Call” was released directly to home video from Longfellow Productions and Ardustry. It was filmed in New York City and Washington, D. C. This was Yates’ final film effort in a career which began in 1963.