Wish You Were Here

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!.

This film is loosely based on the early life of Cynthia Payne, an infamous British prostitute and madam who has been the subject of other films. It was the debut for British actress Emily Lloyd, who played Linda aka Cynthia Payne. The film follows Linda's sexual awakening with flash backs to her younger childhood.

Linda is an unhappy child whose mother died when she was young and her father, raising her and her sister as a lone parent, struggles to manage her as she reaches adolescence. Her burgeoning sexuality is ill-fitting with the social mores of the seaside community in which she lives. Her sexual curiosity is innocent and defiant. This makes for much hilarity: in one scene she is taken to see a psychiatrist who asks her what rude words she knows in order to assess her sexual precociousness. Linda is well aware of the psychiatrist's intention and leads him a merry dance. In another she shows her legs and some of her underwear to fellow colleagues in a bus station. Yet there are times during her sexual development that are mundane and also sad. It is apparent that what Linda most wants is love and in particular is needy for love from her father, in the absence of her mother, but he never understands her enough to realise this.

The ending of the film, which I won't share in the review, is typical of Linda's character. She strides with pride and passion across a park and golfing course, yet she is young and vulnerable and somewhat foolhardy. The viewer admires her resolve, her fortitude and fears for her future.

The performances of all are superb. Emily Lloyd and Tom Bell deserve special mention. The plot is simple and effective and the characterisations credible. Although it is set in an England that has passed, the themes and meaning remain relevant for today's young women.

David Leland's companion piece to 'Personal Services' (also 1987) is another dramatized fiction suggested by the life of Cynthia Payne (London's notorious 'Luncheon Voucher Madam'), only here the canvas is smaller and the film, as a result, is less effective. A 'prequel' to the earlier feature, it relives the rebellious teenage years of the sassy young Ms. Payne (the names have again been changed) as she flies in the face of her stodgy English upbringing with a rousing rejoinder of "up yer bum!" Growing up too fast in a very slow corner of the Empire, she struggles through that awkward age when her cynicism about sex hasn't caught up with her curiosity about it, leading to a good deal of engaging if familiar adolescent angst, reinforced by a bland seaside setting viewed through nostalgia. The film succeeds mostly on the charm of young Emily Lloyd, portraying a character who can't decide if hers is a child's mind in an adult's body, or the other way around. Boredom motivates her rude behavior, and it's a pity the film itself didn't follow her good example. After making its point (and making it well), the story can't help losing a little momentum.

An excellent study of austere england in war. A troubled character trying hard to become an adult, with all the petulance associated with teenagers (whatever the decade). It must be a hard film for north americans to watch, no gluto inous consumption, all that human frailty. Good job it wasn't made for them, we European liberals love this sort of thing.

a beautiful film, very human, very funny...... faultless performances all round. Emily Lloyd is wonderful, this is a performance of real depth and adeptness. Wonderfully emotive and poignant whilst being funny. Where are you Emily?