Resident Alien (1990)
85 min
At age 73, writer and melancholy master of the bon mot, Quentin Crisp (1908-1999), became an Englishman in New York. Nossiter's camera follows Crisp about the streets of Manhattan, where Crisp seems very much at home, wearing eye shadow, appearing on a makeshift stage, making and repeating wry observations, talking to John Hurt (who played Crisp in the autobiographical TV movie, "The Naked Civil Servant"), and dining with friends. Others who know Crisp comment on him, on his life as an openly gay man with an effeminate manner, and on his place in the history of gays' social struggle. The portrait that emerges is of one wit and of suffering.
- Release date
- September 14, 1990
- Country of origin
- United States
Cast
- Quentin Crisp as Self
- Peter Walker as The Bum
- Gilbert Stafford as Man on Street
- Gus Rogerson as Street Performer
- John Sex as Self
- Felicity Mason as Self - Dinner Hostess
- Felicity Mason as Writer
- Fran Lebowitz as Self - Writer
- Guy Kettelhack as Self - Writer
- John Hurt as Self - Actor
- Richard Seiburth as Self - Professor
Crew
- Jonathan Nossiter · Director
- Jonathan Nossiter · Writer
- Jonathan Nossiter · Producer
- John Foster · Cinematographer
- Frank Prinzi · Cinematographer
- Jonathan Nossiter · Editor