Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Naked Civil Servant

  • TV Movie
  • 19751975
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 1h 17m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
  • Biography
  • Comedy
  • Drama
The life and times of Quentin Crisp, an outrageous and flamboyant homosexual, coming of age and growing into old age in conservative England.The life and times of Quentin Crisp, an outrageous and flamboyant homosexual, coming of age and growing into old age in conservative England.The life and times of Quentin Crisp, an outrageous and flamboyant homosexual, coming of age and growing into old age in conservative England.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jack Gold
  • Writers
    • Quentin Crisp(autobiography)
    • Philip Mackie(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • John Hurt
    • Liz Gebhardt
    • Patricia Hodge
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jack Gold
  • Writers
    • Quentin Crisp(autobiography)
    • Philip Mackie(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • John Hurt
    • Liz Gebhardt
    • Patricia Hodge
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 3 wins & 1 nomination total

    Photos12

    John Hurt in The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)
    The Naked Civil Servant (1975)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Hurt
    John Hurt
    • Quentin Crispas Quentin Crisp
    Liz Gebhardt
    • Art Studentas Art Student
    Patricia Hodge
    Patricia Hodge
    • Ballet Teacheras Ballet Teacher
    Stanley Lebor
    Stanley Lebor
    • Mr. Poleas Mr. Pole
    Katherine Schofield
    Katherine Schofield
    • Mrs. Poleas Mrs. Pole
    • (as Katharine Schofield)
    Colin Higgins
    • Thumbnailsas Thumbnails
    John Rhys-Davies
    John Rhys-Davies
    • Barndooras Barndoor
    Stephen Johnstone
    • Young Quentinas Young Quentin
    Antonia Pemberton
    • Mrs. Longhurstas Mrs. Longhurst
    Lloyd Lamble
    Lloyd Lamble
    • Mr. Crispas Mr. Crisp
    Joan Ryan
    • Mrs. Crispas Mrs. Crisp
    Frank Forsyth
    Frank Forsyth
    • Family Doctoras Family Doctor
    Shane Briant
    Shane Briant
    • Normaas Norma
    Ron Pember
    • Black Cat Proprietoras Black Cat Proprietor
    Roger Lloyd Pack
    Roger Lloyd Pack
    • Lizas Liz
    Adrian Shergold
    Adrian Shergold
    • Gloriaas Gloria
    Derek West
    • Fredaas Freda
    David Fielder
    David Fielder
    • Juneas June
    • Director
      • Jack Gold
    • Writers
      • Quentin Crisp(autobiography)
      • Philip Mackie(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    An Englishman in New York
    7.2
    An Englishman in New York
    Red Monarch
    6.0
    Red Monarch
    Who?
    5.8
    Who?
    Peterloo
    6.5
    Peterloo
    P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
    7.1
    P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
    The Silent World
    7.0
    The Silent World
    Man Hunt
    7.2
    Man Hunt
    Pressure Point
    7.1
    Pressure Point
    Murder by Contract
    7.3
    Murder by Contract
    Jeffrey
    6.8
    Jeffrey
    The Odessa File
    7.0
    The Odessa File
    Wish You Were Here
    6.8
    Wish You Were Here

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During filming, it was discovered that Sir John Hurt had painted Quentin Crisp when he was a life studies model at the art school that Hurt attended.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 13 mins) As the 1975 segment begins, the pedestrians Crisp passes on the sidewalk include a woman in a white top and plaid skirt, and then a man in a lavender shirt and yellow pants. When the shot changes to one from Crisp's point of view, the same two pedestrians pass by again.
    • Quotes

      Young Queer-baiter: See that copper over there? If you don't give us a quid each, right? I'm gonna tell him you been fiddling with these two.

      Quentin Crisp: I defy you to do your worst. It can hardly be my worst. Mine has already and often happened to me. You cannot touch me now. I am one of the "stately homos of England".

    • Connections
      Featured in Resident Alien (1990)

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    WAY ahead of its time
    This was broadcast on American TV (with absolutely no fanfare) on one summer night in the late 1970s. I was just idly switching channels and started watching by accident. It's a movie about Quentin Crisp--a gay man who came out in the 1920s. He introduces the film and then it starts--done in documentary style it traces his life. The first image is of him as a young boy dressed in woman's clothes admiring himself in the mirror. I've never had a desire to wear women's clothes, but being a closeted high school kid when I saw this it had QUITE an effect on me.

    The film follows his life, how he found others like him and his fame and fortune. It doesn't sugarcoat things--he comes across as vain and pompous sometimes and he is very brutally threatened in one scene. Still it shows how he survived and lived life on his terms. It was liberating--for me at least. Remember--this was the era when "Boys in the Band" was considered an accurate representation of gay life!

    This was WAY ahead of its time--for TV. I'm shocked that it was even SHOWN on American TV (albeit VERY quietly--and late at night). John Hurt is superb in the title role--he sounds, looks and acts like Crisp did! An excellent TV movie--still relevant today and beautifully done. A 10 all the way.
    helpful•31
    3
    • preppy-3
    • Jan 13, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 17, 1975 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Wie man sein Leben lebt
    • Filming locations
      • Kings Road, Chelsea, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Thames Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 17 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.