IMDb RATING
7.9/10
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The life and times of Quentin Crisp, an outrageous and flamboyant homosexual, coming of age and growing into old age in conservative England.The life and times of Quentin Crisp, an outrageous and flamboyant homosexual, coming of age and growing into old age in conservative England.The life and times of Quentin Crisp, an outrageous and flamboyant homosexual, coming of age and growing into old age in conservative England.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 3 wins & 1 nomination total
Katherine Schofield
- Mrs. Pole
- (as Katharine Schofield)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDuring filming, it was discovered that Sir John Hurt had painted Quentin Crisp when he was a life studies model at the art school that Hurt attended.
- GoofsCrisp's parents are identified as Mr. and Mrs. Crisp. In actuality, their names were Spencer Charles Pratt and Frances Marion Pratt. Furthermore, Quentin Crisp was born Denis Charles Pratt. Crisp changed his name, after leaving home, in his 20s.
- Quotes
Young Queer-baiter: See that copper over there? If you don't give us a quid each, right? I'm gonna tell him you been fiddling with these two.
Quentin Crisp: I defy you to do your worst. It can hardly be my worst. Mine has already and often happened to me. You cannot touch me now. I am one of the "stately homos of England".
- ConnectionsFeatured in Television: The Rise and Fall of the Documentary (1985)
Featured review
Fun and Inspiring
The Naked Civil Servant is a TV film based on famous gay wit Quentin Crisp's autobiography. John Hurt gives a characteristically committed, outstanding performance. His Crisp is both a bon vivant and a serious, determined man who, underneath his outrageously camp exterior, is anything but frivolous, flamboyantly using his wit and dress like weapons as a defence to the repressive, smug and specious attacks from the mainstream English establishment and society, which regards his sexuality as criminal and deviant.
Hurt's Quentin Crisp is an unlikely crusader, made appealing not only by his inspiring moral force in facing prejudice, abuse and rejection with honesty, courage and an uproarious sense of humour, but by the fact that he never loses his belief in humanity, living his life undaunted and surrounded by friends who he treats with warmth and compassion.
Jack Gold's direction is wonderfully theatrical and so suited to Crisp's eccentric world, and the dialogue is incandescent. Nevertheless, the film's narrative, as it ranges over Crisp's long life, is episodic and at times sketchy. Also unnecessarily, Quentin Crisp himself appears in a sort of preface at the beginning of the film.
Hurt's Quentin Crisp is an unlikely crusader, made appealing not only by his inspiring moral force in facing prejudice, abuse and rejection with honesty, courage and an uproarious sense of humour, but by the fact that he never loses his belief in humanity, living his life undaunted and surrounded by friends who he treats with warmth and compassion.
Jack Gold's direction is wonderfully theatrical and so suited to Crisp's eccentric world, and the dialogue is incandescent. Nevertheless, the film's narrative, as it ranges over Crisp's long life, is episodic and at times sketchy. Also unnecessarily, Quentin Crisp himself appears in a sort of preface at the beginning of the film.
helpful•194
- Afzal-s2007
- Sep 17, 2007
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Wie man sein Leben lebt
- Filming locations
- Kings Road, Chelsea, London, England, UK(1975: Quentin walks along)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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