Estelle is a one-person protest army: she goes to jail over grocery prices, shames construction workers for catcalls to passing women, and won't cross a picket line for her son's wedding. She also loves Garbo films: when she learns she has a brain tumor and six months to live, she decides she must meet Garbo. Her dutiful son Gilbert, a Manhattan accountant named for Garbo's co-star, hires a paparazzo to show him Garbo's flat, stakes it out, gets a job delivering food there, seeks her on Fire Island, and tracks her to a Sixth Avenue flea market. As his obsession distances him from his wife, he's drawn to a struggling actress he meets at work. Can he find Garbo; if so, will she talk?

Betty Comden was hired to play Garbo at the end of the film because the producers were sure that the real Garbo either could not be located or would flatly turn them down. They did try however, a known associate of Greta Garbo's. He was located and was asked to ask the great actress if she would appear in the film, but the associate never responded back. That is Comden we see in the film.

Shepard Plotkin:
I'm very busy now, Gilbert.


Gilbert Rolfe:
I have to talk with you, Mr Plotkin.


Shepard Plotkin:
Later, Gilbert.


Gilbert Rolfe:
I have to talk with you now. Shepard, I'm leaving. I am not saying this because I am upset. Well yes I am upset. Of course I'm upset. I'm very upset. You've took my office away and you gave me a depressing, little room. It's, it's not your fault. I allowed it to happen. The light fixture buzzes. There's a dull hum, all day long. Well, you know, you wouldn't fix it for me, no matter how many times I asked. S'okay. You reduced the staff and you gave me enough work for three people to do, and if I didn't finish I got that speech about consolidating more time... Don't worry about it. It is not your problem. I sat there, and I listened, didn't I? You deducted a half-days salary because I was late. No problem. I allowed it to happen. You made me come to work at six in the morning. There was nothing to do at six in the morning and I said to myself, I said Plotkin is enjoying doing this to me. But then I said, No! Rules are rules. The man is only doing his job. That's okay. A man has to do his job. You've been great, you really have. I, I, I wish you, the best of luck. I'm not angry. I, I have no resentment to you. You've, er, you've been great. But we are who we are. I am who I am, you are who you are. So, go fuck yourself Shepard!

Continuity: The construction worker (Mr. Electric Tongue!) has his pop can in his right hand and a sandwich in his left. In the next shot, they are each in the other hands.