Color Me Kubrick

As the evening sun dips below the horizon, two rough-around-the-edges thugs arrive at the doorstep of an unsuspecting elderly couple, brandishing a dubious debt notice bearing the name Stanley Kubrick. However, their quarry, the cunning con artist Alan Conway (in his best Kubrick impersonation), has long since decamped to greener pastures, leaving behind a trail of deceit and misdirection. The would-be collectors, oblivious to the ruse, raise a ruckus outside the house, only to be taken away by the authorities.

Conway's scams are nothing short of remarkable, as he effortlessly dons various personas to convincingly portray the reclusive film director. He woos a young fashion designer with tales of cinematic grandeur, charms the managers of an aspiring heavy metal band with his supposed expertise in the realm of rock 'n' roll, and even cajoles a cab driver into parting with a wad of cash, all while masquerading as Kubrick. His victims, none the wiser, are duped into showering him with largesse, from free meals to nocturnal trysts.

However, Conway's greatest challenge comes in the form of a resourceful rent boy, who is not about to be swayed by the con artist's feeble attempts at deception. When Conway launches into an anecdote about directing Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), only to be corrected that it was actually Stanley Kramer who called the shots behind the camera, the rent boy's withering gaze sends Conway packing.

Later, in a haze of drunkenness, Conway confronts Frank Rich, a journalist from The New York Times, in a local eatery. Conway takes umbrage with an article published by the Times, which had dared to label Kubrick a recluse, and proceeds to lecture Rich on the supposed inaccuracies of the piece. However, this chance encounter has a profound impact on Rich, who becomes determined to uncover the truth about Kubrick's reclusive nature.

As Rich delves deeper into his investigation, he stumbles upon a photograph of the real Stanley Kubrick, only to be struck by the stark contrast between the man in the picture and the individual he had met in the restaurant. Conway's carefully constructed facade begins to crumble, paving the way for a series of events that will leave no one unscathed.

As the nurse's gentle ministrations revive Conway after an inebriated collapse on a sun-kissed beach, the stage is set for a series of serendipitous encounters that will forever alter his trajectory. It is here, amidst the warm glow of camaraderie, that Conway befriends Lee Pratt (played by), the charismatic British singer and comedian, who becomes his ticket to a life of opulence and excess. With Pratt footing the bill in exchange for Conway's half-baked promises to propel him to international stardom, the con artist embarks on a grand adventure, living large off Pratt's largesse as he peddles false hopes and fabricated tales of his ability to transform the entertainer into an American sensation.

However, this delicate balancing act eventually comes crashing down when a diligent cleaning woman at a posh seaside hotel in Devon stumbles upon Conway's passport, revealing his true identity to the world. Pratt's suspicions are piqued, and Conway finds himself unceremoniously dumped from Pratt's life and into the frigid waters of Lyme Bay.

In an effort to dodge accountability, Conway crafts a clever ruse, feigning delusions that he is none other than the legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick (played by). This gambit succeeds in landing him a spot at a prestigious mental institution, where his doctor pens a comprehensive case study for publication in a respected medical journal.

As Conway navigates this bizarre detour, he convinces the doctor of his recovery from a supposed mental breakdown and is eventually cleared to leave the facility. However, his doctor remains unconvinced about his struggles with alcoholism, securing him a four-week stay at the luxurious Rimini Clinic, a renowned rehab center that has counted countless celebrities among its clientele.

Within these picturesque walls, Conway finds himself surrounded by pampered peers, living large as he indulges in spa treatments and luxuriates in a magnificent hot tub. Meanwhile, on-screen text reveals his remarkable escape from prosecution, followed by a quiet return to his humble flat in Harrow, where the curtain would eventually close on his life in December 1998 - just three months before the passing of another cinematic legend, Stanley Kubrick.