Product Details

• Actors: John Hurt, Denis O'Hare, Jonathan Tucker, Cynthia Nixon, Swoosie Kurtz
• Directors: Richard Laxton
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Breaking Glass Pictures, QC Cinema
• DVD Release Date: February 23, 2010
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002VTUBM0
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,672 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Breaking Glass Pictures Release Date: 02/23/2010

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outsider on the Inside, December 26, 2009

By 

Amaranth "music fan" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Englishman in New York (DVD)

"An Englishman in New York" is a superb biopic on Quentin Crisp, reprised by John Hurt who had been in the original The Naked Civil Servant Crisp settles down in the Big Apple, just as gay culture around him is changing. His friend Patrick introduces him to a bar where there are muscular "clones"--and as a dandy he feels out of place. He makes wise,witty observations on the nature of life and love,and the importance of living with integrity. Crisp never lived in the closet. Crisp was at once a man of his time--he knew under British law he could be imprisoned for his consensual,intimate acts with other men--and he paved the way for others like himself to be free.

John Hurt perfectly portrays Crisp as the quasi-Buddhist, observant, insightful and wise. Hurt is still a wonderful actor,even if he stars in clunkers like The Oxford Murders ( Crimes à Oxford ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ] Cynthia Nixon of Sex and the City: The Complete Series (Collector's Giftset) briefly portrays his late in life friend/performance artist Penny Arcade.

The movie even has a film within the film itself--Crisp starring as Queen Elizabeth I in Orlando Surprisingly,Tilda Swinton doesn't make a cameo. The aged,slowly dying Crisp ironically intones,"Never die. Never grow old" as he bestows a queenly blessing.

"An Englishman in New York" is great as a biopic/documentary,or simply as a drama. It's a quiet little masterpiece.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quentin Crisp: A Unique Philosopher, September 12, 2010

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Englishman in New York (DVD)

AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK is a exceptionally well done film about the last years of the infamous Quentin Crisp (born Denis Charles Pratt, 25 December 1908 - 21 November 1999), an English writer and raconteur - one who is skilled at regurgitating funny anecdotes he heard someone else say first. Writer Brian Fillis has provided a highly polished script for director Richard Laxton, the two thus being able to bring to life this icon of homosexuality in the 1970s who, after publication of his memoir, The Naked Civil Servant, came to America to do 'speaking engagements', better described as cabaret comedy/philosophy routines. He dressed effeminately because that is the way he saw himself, and he adapted to life in New York with a joy that made people notice and respect him finally.

John Hurt brings a brilliant luster to his role as the strange but lovely elderly Crisp who sits before audiences and says what comes to his mind. He is befriended by Christopher Street editor Phillip Steel (Dennis O'Hare) who gives him work as a movie critic, noticed by promoter Connie Clausen (Swoosie Kurtz) who schedules him heavily in nightclubs as an act, shy painter Patrick Angus (Jonathan Tucker) whom he champions among galleries, and kooky performance artist Penny Arcade (Cynthia Nixon). At the height of his popularity he makes a comments about AIDS being a 'fad', something that unites gays with a disease that Crisp claims is just what the straight public wants, and his popularity among his audience wanes. He discovers Angus is stricken with the disease and mourns his too soon death, and is sheltered by Steel as he grows into a fragile very elderly 91 year old. Throughout the film Hurt glows as the strange but somehow lovable Crisp, showing us all a side of a man who has been too often dismissed as a weird one. This is a very tender film, complemented by a first class cast, and one that deserves very wide attention. Grady Harp, September 10

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent film of the world according to Crisp, September 17, 2010

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Englishman in New York (DVD)

An Englishman in New York is a well done biopic that chronicles the life and times of Quentin Crisp (portrayed by John Hurt) after his move to New York from Great Britain. This sequel to The Naked Civil Servant, which also does a fine job of telling the story of Quentin Crisp in earlier days, has an excellent cast, great choreography and fine cinematography, too. The acting is very convincing and I was never once bored.

We see Quentin Crisp arriving in New York and he instantly falls in love with Manhattan and Greenwich Village in particular. He eventually befriends Philip Steele at Christopher Street magazine; and he gets an agent, Connie Clausen (played wonderfully by Swoosie Kurtz) after one of his speaking engagements. Things go well for Crisp as his agent gets him booking after booking; but when Quentin says that AIDS is "a fad" he turns a lot of people off especially in the gay community. His book tour is cancelled and it becomes much harder for him to find work in public speaking dispensing his views on practically all aspects of life.

Quentin also befriends the young painter Patrick Angus (Jonathan Tucker) who dies tragically of AIDS; but before Angus dies Quentin makes sure to get his work displayed in art galleries for the first time and even David Hockney buys two of Angus' paintings.

I could tell you so much more about the fascinating story of Quentin Crisp's later years which is explored in this film; but I don't want to spoil it for you. Suffice it to say that Cynthia Nixon does a great job as Penny Arcade, a young woman with whom Quentin performs during his last years.

I recommend this film for anyone interested in Quentin Crisp and/or the history of gay rights in general; and of course if you're interested in seeing the harsh and bitterly cruel impact of AIDS upon the gay community this would be a good addition to your library. Even people who enjoy dramas would do well to get this film.