Wish You Were Here *** (1987, Emily Lloyd, Trudi Cavanagh, Clare Clifford, Tom Bell, Barbara Durkin) – Classic Movie Review 7,036

Debut director David Leland, who also wrote Terry Jones’s 1987 film Personal Services, grabs more mileage the same year from the real-life story of Streatham brothel keeper Cynthia Payne in Wish You Were Here.

Début director David Leland, who also wrote the same year’s Personal Services, grabs more mileage from the real-life story of Streatham brothel keeper Cynthia Payne in Wish You Were Here (1987), a neat and touching little yarn about young rebellious Lynda Mansell (Emily Lloyd) growing up in austerity in post-war Britain.

Lloyd gives an extremely adroit performance as a mixed-up 16-year-old who is both appealing and annoying at the same time (‘Have I got nice tits, or have I got nice tits?’), and Tom Bell is remarkable as Eric, a down-at-heel middle-aged man she gets involved with. Leland gets excellent value out of the English seaside locations (Brighton, Bognor Regis and Worthing) and the Fifties atmosphere.

Also in the cast are Clare Clifford, Barbara Durkin, Geoffrey Hutchings, Trudy Cavanagh, Charlotte Barker, Chloe Leland, Abigail Leland, Charlotte Ball, Geoffrey Durham, Pat Heywood, Neville Smith, Lee Whitlock, Jesse Birdsall, Susan Valentine [Skipper], Sheila Kelley and Heathcote Williams.

Wish You Were Here is directed by David Leland, runs 92 minutes, is made by Zenith, Film Four and Working Title, is written by David Leland, shot by Ian Wilson, produced by Sarah Radclyffe, scored by Stanley Myers and designed by Caroline Amies.

David Leland had several small parts as actor, then worked with director Alan Clarke on the 1982 TV film Made in Britain, which featured the first screen role of actor Tim Roth.

Leland came to prominence writing with director Neil Jordan the screenplay for Mona Lisa (1986). He went on to make Checking Out (with Jeff Daniels), The Big Man [aka Crossing the Line] (with Liam Neeson), and The Land Girls.

David Leland died on 24 December 2023, at the age of 82.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7,036

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