The Naked Civil Servant

I had recently reviewed the film 'An Englishman in New York', which was about the latter years of Quentin Crisp, an outrageous and flamboyant homosexual from UK. This film released way back in 1975 is based on Quentin's memoirs and tells the story of his attempts to live his life as a flamboyantly gay man in an uncomprehending pre-war Britain. The film chronicles his life in 30s and 40s during which he was reviled, arrested, and even harassed.

A teenage Quentin lives with his grumpy parents n a middle class family in the 20s. He is well aware of his sexuality. At college he befriends a young female art student, but the relationship is strictly platonic. He later meets a transvestite prostitute who introduces him to the local gay hangout, and he discovers the joys of make-up. When he starts putting make-up and dye his hair, he tries prostitution for a while till he meets his first boyfriend Thumbnails. Eventually, they break up and Quentin finds a job. We see various incidents where he recalls being beaten up and being rejected by one and all including the gay community itself for being too flamboyant. He also gets rejected from serving in the military and this is when he decides to become a nude male model in a government-funded art school. He is later arrested for soliciting in London, but he turns the situation to his advantage and gives a life-defining speech at his court hearing. He has so many good character witnesses that the case is thrown out of court. We also look at two of his other relationships, a delusional lover of his female friend who turned nun and an older guy who suddenly shows up in Quentin's life.

The USP of the film is no doubt its lead actor playing the titular role of Quentin Crisp. John Hurt is so good in capturing the entire personality and mannerism of the guy, that you believe him every single second in the film. No wonder he won a BAFTA for this role. Events, whether comic, tragic or tragi-comic, are all dispassionately observed with the same wry amusement and described with the same philosophical matter-of-factness. I can't even begin to imagine how outrightly dangerous it would have been to parade around openly as a gay man in those days. The many incidents of his life are captured really well, especially his arrest and the whole military situation. I'll be honest I was a bit bored and disinterested in the beginning 20-25 minutes but the film started to pick my attention and then I quite enjoyed what unfolded in front of me. A great story and very well put together, considering it came out way back in 70s. Watch it for old times sake, how time has evolved and some brilliant acting by the lead man. (6/10)