Six Degrees of Separation

1993, 112 minutes

Film of John Guare's hit play.

Synopsis Fifth Avenue socialite Ouisa Kittredge (Stockard Channing) and her art dealer husband Flan (Donald Sutherland), are parents of "two at Harvard and one at Groton." But the narrow-minded world inhabited by the Kittredge family, as well as their public status as people interested in the arts, makes them easy prey for Paul (Will Smith), a consummate con-artist. One night, Paul mysteriously shows up at their front door—injured and bleeding—claiming to be Sir Sidney Poitier's son and a close college friend of the Kittredges' Ivy League kids. Impressing Ouisa and Flan with his articulate literary expositions, Paul proves to be a sharp-witted, learned young man with fine taste and surprising culinary skill. His highbrow façade is so charmingly persuasive, Paul soon has the Kittredges lending him money, putting him up for the night and taking satisfaction in his appraisal of their posh lifestyle. The Kittridges' force him out of their house after the night as he brings in a hustler without their consent, and Paul's homelessness is revealed. Much to the Kittredge's shock, Paul is revealed to be a highly persuasive con-man, who has charmed his way into many upper-crust homes along the Upper East Side with his wit and insider knowledge. As Paul's plot unravels he becomes an urban legend of the upper crust, a witty anecdote to banter about at cocktail parties. However, he has a profound effect on the many individuals who encounter him, linking them in their shared experience.

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