An Englishman in New York - 9pm Monday ITV1

[dellzeqq]

unfortunately I'm not allowed to watch it - so says the Exec Producer. So, if you watch it, you can tell me all about it. Will John Hurt triumph in the reprise of the role that made his career? And how many of you are clever enough to work out how Sting's son got his first acting job? Marks out of 10 please...........

 

[Aperitif]

Quentin Crisp was born on Christmas Day (Crispmas? ) He called himself the 'stately homo of England...' . I was only thinking about him last week when I was reading an article about Peter Tatchell- both experiencing difficult lives.

I enjoyed John Hurt in the Naked Civil servant and will try and see this but the bit about Sting's son..? I know the song but not the son. How about, Trudi Styler was a mere Best Boy in the original film, went to the post production party, was talking to John Hurt and along ambled Sting to suck her toes and nine months later Jake was born? That's probably it.

 

[sheddy]

I see todays Grauniad gave it the thumbs up

 

[Yellow Fang]

I thought it was rather disappointing and stopped watching after 25 mins.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I enjoyed it. I thought Hurt played the part very well and thought the prog gave an broad insight into the later years of the life an interesting and complex character. If nothing else it led me to want to find out more about him, his views and the events that shaped them.
2 Comments: Firstly I was surprised that they did not screen the 'Naked Civil Servant' as a prequel (It was so long ago that I saw the original I'd forgotton it) and Secondly, the bloody adverts were a real spoiler to the atmosphere of the program.

John Hurt 10/10
Program 8/10

 

[dellzeqq]

I'm astonished that they didn't screen the 'Naked Civil Servant', but, truth to tell, ITV paid the million and a quarter (out of a total cost of two million) knowing that it wasn't box office, and they weren't wrong. It got an audience of two million, which, even by their standards, is low. They gained by getting a bit of broadcasting credibility in a week in which they don't need to compete - advertising revenue being diddly squit.

 

[Fab Foodie]

It probably didn't help having the opposition it had on the night. There was some debate in this house over the star billing. The kids and Mrs FF wanted 'Day of the Triffids'. The MIL who is staying for the festive season put up a good fight for Quentin and I was 50/50 with re-runs of 'Not the Nine O Clock News'. MIL swayed me and bugger the rest. On a quieter night I hope it would have done better, but a Quentin double-bill would have been peachy, or a Quentin night including interviews etc. would have been even better with the new show as the highlight. I think it undersold and poorly scheduled.

 

[dellzeqq]

you may be right - but I think ITV always saw it as a vanity project. And, to be fair, it did get three pages in Radio Times, a spread in Grazia, big buildups in the Sundays and a lot of trail on the channel........but, again, I think that was ITV getting the message across that they haven't walked away from drama (which they most certainly have).

 

[Fab Foodie]

If the have walked away from drama, it wasn't a bad way to end. Mind you as I watch little TV I'm not representative of the gawping general public. However occasionally I find a gem... I really enjoyed 'Britains Fattest Man' the other night Mr Spall was great, Bobby Ball was inspired casting and Frances Barber horny as ever! Perfect.