As he prepares to present his Valentine's Day extravaganza of Franco Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet at the Castro Theater, local show biz legend Marc Huestis looks back on 20 years of screening classic films and bringing Hollywood gods and goddesses to the Castro. Oscar winners and cinema legends have graced the stage of the venerable movie palace, usually in conjunction with a screening of one of their best known films.
Huestis, himself an award-winning filmmaker, has presented an impressive roster of stars, some of whom offered juicy behind-the-scenes tales. Like the brunette bombshell Jane Russell, who recalled Marilyn Monroe's vulnerability when the two co-starred in the magical musical Gentlemen Prefer Blonds (1953). Or the great Debbie Reynolds, who remembered Shelley Winters as both an awesome talent—and a lunatic.
For many years, Huestis' shows filled the 1,400 seat house, often selling out. But now, like many other entrepreneurs, Huestis is facing dwindling revenues caused, in part, by the passage of time.
"I'm the old kid on the block," Huestis said, speaking to Hoodline by phone. "People want that shiny new penny." He also pointed to the fact that many in the younger generation were unfamiliar with his guests and the films they made—some of those films are now 50 or more years old.
It's been a fun ride for Huestis, one that he's greatly enjoyed. "A lot of the older Hollywood people feel beaten down," Huestis said, referring to the stars of yesteryear. "They're yesterday's news. When they come to the Castro and see all the fuss they're genuinely moved."
There indeed remains a rabid fan base for classic cinema in the neighborhood. Jane Russell, who appeared at the theater more than three decades after making her last film, got a standing ovation. Tony Curtis, a handsome leading man, comedian and film superstar of the 1950s and '60s, brought down the house.
"Tony called me two years later to do a clip reel for a lecture series he was doing," Huestis said with pride. "They showed that reel at his funeral and put it in his coffin."
Putting together such reels is just a small portion of what Huestis does for his largely one-man operation. "I do everything," he said. "Video editing, publicity, ticket sales ..."
His hard work often paid off, not only with sold-out shows, but with the formation lifelong friendships. He now cites Carol Lynley (The Poseidon Adventure) as a close personal friend, and tells us that Ann Blyth, who played Joan Crawford's daughter in the film noir classic Mildred Pierce (1945), calls him on his birthday.
"I talk to them like they're my friends," Huestis explains. "I know lines from their films. To have that connection with them is magical."
But now, Huestis is thinking that he might move on. It's been a grand 20-year run, and he's finding it difficult to keep up with this age of streaming movies on demand. "I want to write a book," he says. "I need to leave some sort of legacy in my own voice." He's already begun working on it.
So will Romeo and Juliet be Marc Huestis' swan song at the Castro?
"There are no absolutes," he said. "I'm going to take a break, but never say never. I'm going to have to think long and hard—if it's something I adore, I might."
The 1968 classic Romeo and Juliet will screen at the Castro Theater on February 14th, complete with an appearance by Leonard Whiting, the original Romeo. Festivities will include tribute performances, rare film clips, and Romeo & Juliet look-a-like and "best mask" contests.
