Wish You Were Here (1987)

In a staid English seaside town after the Second World War, young Lynda grows up with her widowed father and younger sister. Rebellious Lynda has been swearing constantly from an early age.... See full summary »

Director:

David Leland

Writer:

David Leland

Stars:

Emily Lloyd, Trudi Cavanagh, Clare Clifford

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Trudi Cavanagh	...	Tap Dancing Lady
Emily Lloyd	...	Lynda
Clare Clifford	...	Mrs Parfitt
Barbara Durkin	...	Valerie
Geoffrey Hutchings	...	Hubert
Charlotte Barker	...	Gillian
Tom Bell	...	Eric
Chloe Leland	...	Margaret
Charlotte Ball	...	Lynda (aged 11)
Pat Heywood	...	Aunt Millie
Abigail Leland	...	Margaret (aged 7)
Susan Valentine	...	Lynda's Mother (as Susan Skipper)
Geoffrey Durham	...	Harry Figgis
Sheila Kelley	...	Joan Figgis
Neville Smith	...	Cinema Manager

Storyline

In a staid English seaside town after the Second World War, young Lynda grows up with her widowed father and younger sister. Rebellious Lynda has been swearing constantly from an early age. At sixteen, she becomes more exhibitionist and seeks out sexual encounters challenging the prevailing lower-middle class attitudes to sex. She eventually becomes pregnant by an acquaintance of her father.

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Plot Keywords:

center of attention | woman flashing her leg | insult | loss of mother | seaside town | 

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Taglines:

Some people march to the beat of a different drummer. Lynda's got her own brass band.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 July 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wish You Were Here!

Filming Locations:

The Esplanade, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$3,283,832

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films,Working Title Films,Zenith Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The meaning and relevance of the film's "Wish You Were Here" title is, according to Hal Erickson at website 'Allmovie', that it "refers to her [Lynda Mansell (Emily Lloyd)] feelings concerning her late mother, whilst Janet Maslin of 'The New York Times', says that the film, like its title, "is about longing", whilst website 'Wikipedia' states the title "is a sigh Lynda makes because of her dead mother".

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Quotes

Lynda Mansell: Have I got nice tits, or have I got nice tits?

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Breakthrough Stars of 1990 (1990)

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Soundtracks

Mule Train
(uncredited)
Written by Fred Glickman, Hy Heath and Johnny Lange

User Reviews

One of a kind, exceptional and moving

Wish You Were Here is a delightful, moving and exceptional film for many reasons, but the most unusual is that it is one of two films written by David Leland (Mona Lisa) about a real person, the famous British madame, Cynthia Payne, which were both released in the same year--1987. (Both films claim to be fiction) Wish chronicles her youthful scandals; the other film,Terry Jones', Personal Services (1987) chronicles her adult scandals.

The two films are very different in style (this film being the more conventional of the two) but the character of Payne remains refreshingly the same. In Wish You Were Here the desperate pleading of a lonely young girl for love and affection takes a bizarre path helped by her rebellious and outspoken candid observations. It is her impatience with hypocrisy coupled with her desperate need that make this teenager so sympathetic. That, and her great sense of humor.

The colorful sex scenes filled with surprises keep the viewer disarmed, but mainly it is the main character's shining virtues of honesty, non-conformity, and defiance that makes this film a special one for young people. The scene with the therapist, matching dirty words, is one of the funniest on film, especially watching the marvelous way Emily Lloyd molds her reactions and then goes in for the kill. Emily Lloyd's career never lived up to this early brilliant performance, but her work here is so dazzling, it gives her a place in film history. Highly recommended for all teenagers who feel out of place and for adults who do, too.

Why hasn't this film moved to DVD? (only in England and Germany!) It's a rare find, and you may be both surprised and delighted!.