An Englishman in New York (film)

An Englishman in New York is a 2009 biographical film that chronicles the years gay English writer Quentin Crisp spent in New York City, starring John Hurt reprising his role as Crisp from The Naked Civil Servant (1975). The film takes its title from "Englishman in New York", a song about Crisp written by Sting for the 1987 album ...Nothing Like the Sun.

An Englishman in New York
Directed byRichard Laxton
Written byBrian Fillis
Produced byAmanda Jenks
StarringJohn Hurt
Denis O'Hare
Jonathan Tucker
Swoosie Kurtz
Cynthia Nixon
Music byPaul Englishby
Release date
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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The film follows Quentin Crisp's move in the late 1970s from London to New York City, where he was embraced by celebrities and artists.[1] Crisp becomes a local, and then more national celebrity and writes for New York magazines. He struggles to find his way through flippant comments he makes during the AIDS crisis which he refuses to recant. He befriends and helps to promote artist Patrick Angus. In the 1990s, he continues his hefty schedule of public performances, including a two-person show with performance artist Penny Arcade. He appears in the Sally Potter film Orlando as Queen Elizabeth I and appears for the last time in America in a Tampa, Florida gay bar doing a Q&A where he reminds the young crowd of outsiders to "Neither look forward where there is doubt, nor backward where there is regret, look inward and ask, not if there is anything outside that you want, but whether is anything inside that you have not yet unpacked."

Cast

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Cynthia Nixon, John Hurt and Swoosie Kurtz

Reception

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Critical reception

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On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 70%, based on 10 reviews, and an average rating of 6.53/10.[2]

Awards

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In 2010, An Englishman in New York was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Schreiber, Dominic (22 August 2008). "Cynthia Nixon joins 'Englishman'". Variety. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
  2. ^ "An Englishman in New York (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  3. ^ "21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards – English Language Nominees". Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. 2010. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
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