An Englishman in New York

Revisiting his 1975 triumphal portrayal of gay icon Quentin Crisp (1908-1999) in The Naked Civil Servant, John Hurt returns in this much-belated and wholly unnecessary sequel, which follows Crisp's relocation to New York in the early 1980s, establishing himself as a writer and the star of a popular off-Broadway one-man show. Crisp's gift for witty observations and his peerless command of the language secure him a cult following, although his popularity declines when he unwisely responds to early warnings of the AIDS pandemic by dismissing it as a “fad.” Eventually, Crisp re-establishes his fame as a public speaker and theatrical raconteur, and even snags a film role playing Queen Elizabeth I. Anyone familiar with Crisp's life story will recognize that An Englishman in New York severely abbreviates his later years, cutting out many of his accomplishments while overemphasizing the notion that he spent most of his time as a pariah among the gay community. Making matters worse are supporting actors who either overact (Swoosie Kurtz as literary agent Connie Clausen) or underplay to the point of enervation (particularly Jonathan Tucker, portraying AIDS-doomed artist Patrick Angus). As for Hurt, most of the time he relies on a campy wardrobe and heavy makeup to do his acting for him, which results in making Crisp something of an aphorism-spouting bore. Not a necessary purchase. (P. Hall)