Garbo Talks is a 1984 American comedy-drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Anne Bancroft, Ron Silver, and Carrie Fisher, with a cameo appearance by Betty Comden as Greta Garbo. The film was written by Larry Grusin, and also stars Catherine Hicks, Steven Hill, and the first screen appearance of Mary McDonnell. It also featured the final screen appearances of veteran actors Howard Da Silva and Hermione Gingold. Bancroft was nominated for a Golden Globe. The title is a reference to the first film in which Greta Garbo's speaking voice is heard. Her husky voice and purposefully exaggerated Swedish accent debuted in Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie (1930), which was publicized with the slogan "Garbo Talks". The film received mixed reviews from critics and failed at the box office. Plot Estelle Rolfe (Anne Bancroft) is a middle-aged, divorced and outspoken social activist whose behavior causes her devoted grown son Gilbert (Ron Silver) some consternation. After being diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, Estelle's last wish is to meet the movie star she has admired and idolized all of her life, the reclusive Greta Garbo. Initially, Gilbert's wife Lisa (Carrie Fisher) sympathizes with his mission to fulfill his mother's wish to meet Garbo. However, after Gilbert begins missing work to devote more time to search for the elusive actress and spends their entire savings in the process, Lisa has had enough and she leaves him. Gilbert's co-worker Jane Mortimer (Catherine Hicks), a winsome, aspiring actress takes a liking to Gilbert and a romance gradually develops, but first comes Gilbert's increasingly frantic search for a famous woman who does not care to be found. A lead takes Gilbert to aging paparazzo Angelo Dokakis (Howard Da Silva), who had previously photographed the elusive Garbo and is acquainted with her habits and possible whereabouts; but after several days of staking out her apartment building they are unable to find her. After several other unsuccessful attempts, another lead takes Gilbert to an elderly actress named Elizabeth Rennick (Hermione Gingold) who once knew Garbo. She advises Gilbert to look for her at a local flea market. With very little time to spare, Gilbert finally comes face-to-face with Garbo at the flea market and he tells her of his mother's condition. Without a word, Garbo goes directly to the hospital and sits at Estelle's bedside. Gilbert is content that Estelle's wish to meet Garbo had been fulfilled,