Around the same time that John Hurt did an ancient drag act in "I Claudius" as the deranged Roman emperor Caligula, he broke other ground by playing the flamboyant Quentin Crisp in this British TV movie that has gained a huge cult following and made the real Quentin Crisp a hero in the gay and lesbian community. Crisp himself makes an appearance to introduce the movie, as delightfully flamboyant as ever and unashamedly still 100% himself. It's interesting that young Quentin as a little boy seems to be dressed up as Caligula.
Hurt is the bain of his father's existence and does all he can to get out from underneath his father's son which means turning tricks. He meets others as effeminate as him who basically mentor him into the image he takes on which results in insults from masculine homosexuals and physical assaults by both men and women on the street. He does find a good female confidante who completely understands him and enjoys his company. More acceptable straight people (mainly from the European mainland) are also accepting, showing the underground of society that rebelled against everything conventional and accepted other bohemians for who they were. He even finds an employer who hires him for his capabilities, ignoring his own prejudices.
The narration by Hurt has silent film like subtitles, demonstrating his sense of humor in spite of the ill treatment he finds in a cruel society. Crisp even gets laughs in court when he uses his own diagnosis of what people think he suffers from. There's romance here and there, the occasional snubs from the closeted community and Quentin's desire to lead a cause that the others aren't ready to fight.
In spite of his exibitionist persona and desire for liberation, you get to see the desire for romance in his life and the insecurities when he seems to find it. The use of vintage music (most notably "The Sun Has Got his Hat On" from "Me & My Girl" as he flutters down the street) aids in the mood, sometimes light-hearted but often sadly not like a 1930's gay musical comedy. This is just one view of the hidden gay lifestyle pre-Stonewall, and the view of the life of a man who shouldn't just be a mentor to young gay people of the future but anyone who finds the door slammed in their face for simply being themselves.
Hurt is the bain of his father's existence and does all he can to get out from underneath his father's son which means turning tricks. He meets others as effeminate as him who basically mentor him into the image he takes on which results in insults from masculine homosexuals and physical assaults by both men and women on the street. He does find a good female confidante who completely understands him and enjoys his company. More acceptable straight people (mainly from the European mainland) are also accepting, showing the underground of society that rebelled against everything conventional and accepted other bohemians for who they were. He even finds an employer who hires him for his capabilities, ignoring his own prejudices.
The narration by Hurt has silent film like subtitles, demonstrating his sense of humor in spite of the ill treatment he finds in a cruel society. Crisp even gets laughs in court when he uses his own diagnosis of what people think he suffers from. There's romance here and there, the occasional snubs from the closeted community and Quentin's desire to lead a cause that the others aren't ready to fight.
In spite of his exibitionist persona and desire for liberation, you get to see the desire for romance in his life and the insecurities when he seems to find it. The use of vintage music (most notably "The Sun Has Got his Hat On" from "Me & My Girl" as he flutters down the street) aids in the mood, sometimes light-hearted but often sadly not like a 1930's gay musical comedy. This is just one view of the hidden gay lifestyle pre-Stonewall, and the view of the life of a man who shouldn't just be a mentor to young gay people of the future but anyone who finds the door slammed in their face for simply being themselves.