Why so much hype?

Please don't spend money on this.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Certainly you've all heard how great this movie is, how it's ahead of its time and that it's one of John Hurt's greatest performances. I wholeheartedly agree, and I don't think I can say anything that hasn't been said already. This movie came to me as a kind of surprise, and I'm glad it did. I'd just discovered who John Hurt was (Oh my God, he was the chestburster guy in Alien!) and was doing research into his work. When I stumbled upon this film, after reading the synopsis, I was fairly certain I would at least like it a little. A movie about a real homosexual man's life, trying to make his way through it, at the mercy of the world, sounded interesting to me. This movie gave me so much more than I'd anticipated, thank goodness. First of all what drew me in was that it was based on the life of a real figure, Quentin Crisp. "Oh, that's pretty cool." After that, the sight of Hurt in long red hair and walking with a feminine gait really grabbed hold of me. Sure I found it kind of funny, and of course great, but my major thought was, "How brave must an actor be to display himself in this way to thousands of people, and make them believe it's real!" And of course, the silent-film style text slides on the screen provided several laughs: "Some roughs are really queer, and some queers are really rough". Taken in fully now, I paid close attention to his performance through the rest of the film. It was a phenomenal performance! I am constantly recommending this movie to friends and I love going back and seeing it again. I am all for equality, and this movie deals with it in an amazing way, from the standpoint of a person who never knew that his was a widespread mental state. His directness and bravery reminded me of how I wish I was: willing to stand up for anything I believe in and "tell it like it is"! Highly recommend it; just don't be afraid to shed a few tears. ;)

"Do you intend to spend your entire life admiring yourself?" "If I possibly can." Oh Quentin, you came and you gave without taking. Unless he was taking the michael, which he did, you know, from time to time, in the most wonderfully poised and self-effacing manner. It's not hard to see why this was voted number 4 in the BFI's TV 100 poll: in two words, John Hurt - giving the Bafta-winning performance of his career as the "stately homo of England", enduring the catcalls, pratfalls and furtive dalliances which were the staples of gay life during the pre-and-and-post War years - virtually another planet compared with today's (allegedly) more tolerant society. The legal alien is terribly missed.

This film was made from the autobiography of a man who spent more than fifty years battling for his individuality and right to be treated as any other human being. Though the story to be about an effeminate homosexual it provides inspiration for anyone willing to stand outside the crowd and not be beaten into conforming to the norm.Quentin Crisp is a homosexual who stands up in a deeply homophobic society and shouts 'There is nothing wrong with me and you'll have to learn to accept the fact that we exist'. The film vividly portrays the shock & disgust felt by the vast majority to homosexuality during this period. One telling scene shows how fellow homosexuals, rather than support him, reject him in fear of being outed themselves.The film shows how he built psychological barriers between himself and the world in order to protect himself and how these barriers enforced his isolation. Even the credits reinforce his isolated existence by listing only the central characters personal name. Even his closest friends are referred to merely as the 'Art Student' & the 'Ballet Teacher'. This film shows a man who lived out such an isolated existence that, though of a very generous caring nature, he was unable to feel love himself. How on the one occasion that his dream partner appeared and offered love, Crisp was unable to recognise & accept it.There is sadness in the fact that, at that time of release, society had accepted and adopted his means of display while still rejecting his core message. We know, with hindsight, that society has come, largely, to accept homosexuals as normal people but the film shows that during the late 70s queer-bashing still went on while people dressed in a style previously regarded as effeminate.Joy is to be taken from this film in that Crisps crusade was certainly not in vain, his stance paid off eventually. This film played a large part in British society accepting gays as okay people. For this reason I believe this film as, possibly, one of the 100 most significant films of the 20th century in the way it made us look at an oppressed minority in a new light.The final scene summarises Crisps life well. This is where the well known 'Stately Homos of England' speech is given followed by his walking off up with head held high but isolated from everyone else in the park. Thus showing how strong his lifelong stance has made him while showing the terrible personal cost of this strength.The above may make the film sound harsh & gritty but it is actually shot in a very colourful & entertaining manner. John Hurt gives an excellent performance which I am certain would have had him up for an Oscar had the film been made in Hollywood. Crisp later became recognised as a great wit & raconteur and this is reflected in his lines in this film. There are so many strong lines and witticisms that to put them on this articles 'Quotes' page would mean that a significant part of the script would end up there.Though 'The Naked Civil Servant' has done its job in opening up our minds & attitudes it shouldn't be written off as it so entertaining while reminding us what life is like for our social outcasts. You can watch it and learn, or you can watch it and just enjoy it. It works extremely well both ways.

I had a copy of this film back in the early 80s, it's long gone, but I'll never forget its power. I'm not a homosexual, nor had I ever heard of Quentin Crisp before, but watching the film, I was very impressed by his determination to stand up for his God-given right to be himself, whatever that "self" might be. I didn't see it so much as a proclamation of his homosexuality, but rather, an individual determined to live life on his own terms, rather than kowtow to the wants of society. To this fact I strongly relate. Crisp was a man who faced the ostracism of society head-on, and soldiered on through in spite of it. And for that I admire him strongly. After watching the film, I quietly said "Thank You" to Crisp for his forthrightness and honesty.John Hurt's portrayal of Crisp was absolutely magnificent, and I've been a fan of his ever since. He's the most versatile actor of his generation, having played everyone from Jesus Christ in "History of the World part 1" to the guy in "Alien" who has the little monster jump out of his body to the inimitable Quentin Crisp in this film! However, some of his films are hard to find, given that he's not a household word name as an actor. Too Bad, He's among the best!