Letter to Brezhnev (1985)

Two Soviet sailors, Peter and Sergei, go ashore in Liverpool to spend one night on the town. Peter can speak a minimal amount of English but it's enough to make contact with two ... See full summary »

Director:

Chris Bernard

Writer:

Frank Clarke

Stars:

Peter Firth, Alfred Molina, Tracy Marshak-Nash

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alfred Molina	...	Sergei
Peter Firth	...	Peter
Tracy Marshak-Nash	...	Tracy (as Tracy Lea)
Alexandra Pigg	...	Elaine
Margi Clarke	...	Teresa
Susan Dempsey	...	Girl in Pub
Ted Wood	...	Mick
Carl Chase	...	Taxi Driver
Sharon Power	...	Charlie's Girl
Robbie Dee	...	Charlie
Eddie Ross	...	Rayner
Syd Newman	...	Dmitri
Gerry White	...	1st Doorman
Pat Riley	...	2nd Doorman
Wendy Votel	...	1st Girl on Bus

Storyline

Two Soviet sailors, Peter and Sergei, go ashore in Liverpool to spend one night on the town. Peter can speak a minimal amount of English but it's enough to make contact with two Liverpudlian natives, Elaine and Theresa. Elaine and Peter immediately fall in love with each other, but the night is short and they must leave with the ship. Elaine can't forget him and writes a letter to Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, asking him to make it possible for them to reunite.

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Plot Keywords:

letter | love | sailor | liverpool | thatcherism | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The script was written in only two weeks and the film was shot in three weeks.

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Goofs

Elaine says the British embassy did nothing to help her. It is highly unlikely that that she as a British citizen in Britain would have contacted any British embassy, all of which would, by definition, be in other countries. She would have contacted the Foreign Office, which is the authority dealing with foreign affairs and international matters in Britain. The casual viewer might easily confuse the two, but Elaine, who has recently dealt with them, would not make this mistake.

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Quotes

Mother: And I don't know what that lot next door must be thinking with all the f'ing and blinding goin' on in 'ere, so fucking pack it in alright?

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Crazy Credits

The end credits roll to the background of a painted Moscow city landscape.

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Connections

Referenced in I'll Be There (2003)

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Soundtracks

State Anthem of the Soviet Union
Musicby Aleksandr Aleksandrov (as Alexander Alexandrov)
(uncredited)
Heard when the Soviet President is seen on screen.

User Reviews

Bawdy, working-class "love story" set in Liverpool

Frank Clarke is my favourite writer of British Films (Letter To Brezhnev, Blonde Fist, and I have just found out The Fruit Machine.) The film is set in Modern day working class Liverpool, where two friends Teresa (the one and only Margi Clarke) and Elaine (Alexandra Pigg) hit the town one night and meet two Russian Sailors. Elaine falls head over heels in love and when the sailors set sail Elaine writes a letter to president Brezhnev of Russia regarding her love and the need to see him again as she believes she is being prevented by the British authorities. It is not however a soppy love story, fast paced and again quite true to working class life in Britain in the 1980's. A Film Four production again, who have made the best low budget British Films of the last twenty years.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 May 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bons baisers de Liverpool

Filming Locations:

Shaftesbury Hotel, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Palace Pictures, Yeardream

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color