Portrait of Jason
Directed by Shirley Clarke
1967/USA
Shirley Clarke Productions/Graeme Ferguson Productions
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[box]Jason Holliday: They (psychiatrists) ask, “Do you please them?” I say, “If I don’t please them, it’s because I’m not trying.”[/box]

Documentarians ask a black gay prostitute/houseboy/aspiring nightclub performer the big questions.  The answers come back raw and unfiltered and are alternately hilarious and pretty sad.

The flamoyant Jason Holliday took on a new name and life when he moved to San Francisco.  Later he moved back to New York where documentarian Shirley Clarke was granted a 12-hour interview.  Jason gets progressively more drunk and stoned as the day wears on.  He maintains his razor-sharp wit and viciously insightful observations until almost the end when he turns maudlin.

I had heard of this before but did not expect to laugh so much.  Between the lines, Jason has some pretty dark stuff to stay about being gay and black in the 60s.  I liked this but come prepared for some pretty explicit talk about the lifestyle and loads of expletives.

Restoration Trailer