Letter to Brezhnev (1985) - Cast, Ratings, Awards Letter to Brezhnev Letter to Brezhnev (1985) Romantic Comedy | 1 hour and 32 minutes Be the first to review Smart Rating Director: Chris Bernard In this English romantic comedy, two young women in Thatcher-era Liverpool, Elaine (Alexandra Pigg) and Teresa (Margi Clarke), meet a pair of Soviet sailors, Peter (Peter Firth) and Sergei (Alfred Molina), who are on shore leave. While Teresa and Sergei seem content to have a carefree night, Elaine and Peter fall in love, leading to heartbreak when the officers have to return to duty on their ship. Can Elaine find a way to escape her gritty working-class surroundings and reunite with Peter? See All Movies Did You Like The Movie? Advertisement More Movies With Alexandra Pigg How famous is the cast of "Letter to Brezhnev"? PrettyFamous Score The PrettyFamous score quantifies the fame of the film's cast members based on the number of awards the actors and actresses have ever been nominated for, combined box office gross of all the movies the actors and actresses have been in, and the current internet popularity of the cast.

Ranking Every George Clooney Movie from Worst to First PrettyFamous looked at Clooney's entire filmography (excluding TV movies and documentaries) and ranked each film from his worst to his best. 7 minute read › Letter to Brezhnev Plot and Cast | Movies.com DVD FULL SYNOPSIS A romantic farce that enjoys but never makes fun of its protagonists, this is an entertaining story about the unlikely pairing of a Liverpool factory worker and a Russian sailor. The romantic Teresa (Margi Clarke)works in a chicken factory and looks forward to the men she might meet on the weekends. Her friend Elaine (Alexandra Pigg) is living on state aid and is fairly casual about how she can pick up a little extra cash. One weekend the two women set out for the dancehall with someone else's hard-earned money, lifted by Teresa, and there they meet two Russian sailors, Peter (Peter Firth) and Sergei (Alfred Molina). For Elaine and Peter, it is love at first sight, and they spend the rest of the night talking and the following day wandering around Liverpool, hand in hand.

When the dreaded parting of the ways comes at last, Elaine is furious that a small thing like politics has to keep them apart -- so she writes a letter to Brezhnev, with surprising results. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi Awards A Letter to Brezhnev - Buy, Rent, and Watch Movies & TV on Flixster Log In | Sign Up A Letter to Brezhnev (1985) A romantic farce that enjoys but never makes fun of its protagonists, this is an entertaining story about the unlikely pairing of a Liverpool factory worker and a Russian sailor. The romantic Teresa (Margi Clarke)works in a chicken factory… More A romantic farce that enjoys but never makes fun of its protagonists, this is an entertaining story about the unlikely pairing of a Liverpool factory worker and a Russian sailor. The romantic Teresa (Margi Clarke)works in a chicken factory and looks forward to the men she might meet on the weekends. Her friend Elaine (Alexandra Pigg) is living on state aid and is fairly casual about how she can pick up a little extra cash.

One weekend the two women set out for the dancehall with someone else's hard-earned money, lifted by Teresa, and there they meet two Russian sailors, Peter (Peter Firth) and Sergei (Alfred Molina). For Elaine and Peter, it is love at first sight, and they spend the rest of the night talking and the following day wandering around Liverpool, hand in hand. When the dreaded parting of the ways comes at last, Elaine is furious that a small thing like politics has to keep them apart -- so she writes a letter to Brezhnev, with surprising results. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi Amazon.co.uk:Customer Reviews: Letter To Brezhnev [DVD][1985] Letter To Brezhnev [DVD][1985] 4.5 out of 5 stars 27 23 people found this helpful 4.0 out of 5 starsGood movie let down by a poor quality DVD ByAmazon Customeron 28 April 2005 This was a surprise hit in the early 80's as no-one expected such a low budget movie, featuring unknown actors, to make any impact on the viewing public.

However, against all odds, Letter to Brezhnev was a huge hit thanks to its heart-warming yet poignant story of an 'ordinary Kirby girl' who falls in love with a Russian sailor. Pieter and Sergei are two sailors whose ship has berthed in Liverpool overnight. They decide to visit a local club where they meet two local girls, Elaine and Teresa who are out for a good time. The chemistry between Elaine and Pieter is immediately evident and they decide to spend every moment together before Pieter has to rejoin his ship to Russia. Love blossoms and the young couple vow that somehow they will be together no matter what. Thereby lays the films title as Elaine is encouraged to write to the Russian premier (at that time Leonid Brezhnev) and ask him to allow her to be reunited with her love. There is plenty of light relief thanks to Margi Clarke's excellent portrayal of Teresa, an original 'good time' girl and her relationship with none-English speaking Sergei (Alfred Molina in an early role). Sure the movie has its unbelievable moments....would the foreign office really go to such lengths to keep Elaine from travelling to Russia for example...but isn't escapism the point of movies?

The major downside of this DVD is that no effort has been made to clean the picture or sound quality, it's pretty much as it was on VHS. There are no extras, not even subtitles for the hard of hearing which smacks of laziness on the part of the distributors. In other words, if you already have this film on video it really isn't worth getting the DVD however if you don't already own it then it is worth purchasing just for great movie that is Letter to Brezhnev. 3.0 out of 5 starsmake sure you read the description fully Bybazzandoon 19 November 2011 I ordered this cassette thinking it was a DVD totally my mistake as had looked at several on- line for my wife's birthday from our son, It plays in the most part but has one or two little poor quality bits but as its over twenty six years old and a VHS cassette its not to bad. my wife loves this movie and is happy it it but would love it on DVD so she could watch it in a different room so pay attention to what you order.

Format: DVD | Verified Purchase This was a surprise hit in the early 80's as no-one expected such a low budget movie, featuring unknown actors, to make any impact on the viewing public. However, against all odds, Letter to Brezhnev was a huge hit thanks to its heart-warming yet poignant story of an 'ordinary Kirby girl' who falls in love with a Russian sailor. Pieter and Sergei are two sailors whose ship has berthed in Liverpool overnight. They decide to visit a local club where they meet two local girls, Elaine and Teresa who are out for a good time. The chemistry between Elaine and Pieter is immediately evident and they decide to spend every moment together before Pieter has to rejoin his ship to Russia. Love blossoms and the young couple vow that somehow they will be together no matter what. Thereby lays the films title as Elaine is encouraged to write to the Russian premier (at that time Leonid Brezhnev) and ask him to allow her to be reunited with her love. There is plenty of light relief thanks to Margi Clarke's excellent portrayal of Teresa, an original 'good time' girl and her relationship with none-English speaking Sergei (Alfred Molina in an early role).

Sure the movie has its unbelievable moments....would the foreign office really go to such lengths to keep Elaine from travelling to Russia for example...but isn't escapism the point of movies? The major downside of this DVD is that no effort has been made to clean the picture or sound quality, it's pretty much as it was on VHS. There are no extras, not even subtitles for the hard of hearing which smacks of laziness on the part of the distributors. In other words, if you already have this film on video it really isn't worth getting the DVD however if you don't already own it then it is worth purchasing just for great movie that is Letter to Brezhnev. Format: DVD A goodish girl is on a night out, meets up with her good time female friend, ends up in a night club and meets then man of her dreams. Unfortunately, he is a sailor on a 48 hour pass. But the problems don't stop there. He is also Russian. Originally filmed when Brezhnev was Russia's premier, but released after he died, the 'iron curtain' hadn't yet been 'opened'.

Without going into detail of the writers, producers, directors and who was related to who, this film is a true fairytale of love can overcome any obstacle. I have loved this film since I first saw it at the cinema way back in the eighties. Alex Pigg brushed off her Brookside role, a lot of us first met Margie Clarke and Alfred Molina, and welcomed back Peter Firth after his stint in the Double Deckers. To me, this film was, and is, a true depiction of Liverpool, the 1980s and true love will out! I'm still waiting for the sequel though. 0Comment | 13 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Please write at least one word You must purchase at least one item from Amazon to post a comment A problem occurred while submitting your comment. Please try again later. I don't know what it is about this film, but I never get sick of watching it. I must have seen it over 100 times, and I always get something new out of it. The superb music at the start of the film really sets the scene, and all the performances from each and every actor involved are life like and involving.

Having lived in Liverpool myself(before this was filmed) I obviously recognise quite a few locations that are used and I guess that's one of the reasons the film really rings a bell. The warmth, humour and hope of scousers are all perfectly captured in this film, and I don't think it would be the same had it been made anywhere else. Sadly, the Liverpool of today seems to be changing into another identikit city with the same old shops,chain restaurants etc, so this is a great way to remember a unique,individual city. At the end of the day, I guess I'm just a hopeless old romantic, and it's the thought that love will conquer all, that makes me love this so much. Finally,I'd still love to see a sequel as long as Alexandra Pigg and Margi Clark were involved! Format: DVD | Verified Purchase I was a spotty lovelorn teenager living in Liverpool when this film hit our screens and became such a success. It helped fuel my mad notions of endless romance . It gave me teenage angst that I would to find true love one day. Hey twenty years later I just think its a great movie. A love story admittedly but its a cracking film which has stood the rigors of twenty years .

It does not feel dated and it still made me laugh . If you want to be entertained by a film then this one is for you. Its oodles of good scouse humor will cheer you up no end. Did i find true love? Well thats for me to know. 0Comment | 12 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Please write at least one word You must purchase at least one item from Amazon to post a comment A problem occurred while submitting your comment. Please try again later. Format: DVD | Verified Purchase More devotion than ambition seems to have gone into the making of this little film; that's quite visible. What sets it apart is that it works. Don't expect too much nuance from "A Letter to Brezhnev". Everything seems to be expressed in stereotypes, and there are no winners; the Soviet Union is definitely the Evil Empire, but, on the other hand, so is England, especially Liverpool, under Thatcherism. There's nothing to choose between the repressiveness of one and the unemployment and poverty of the other; and, if there was an irritant here, it was the fact that the film was a bit messagey.

For example, it would have been suitable for the Foreign Office interviewer to be a bit of a creep - but he was arguably too much of a creep, and one yearned for just a bit of subtlety. The casting was good. If I had to pick out one member of the cast, it would be Alexandra Pigg as the dream-ridden Elaine, whose life seems to enfold the reverie of any not-very-exceptional working-class girl; Margi Clarke as her mate Teresa was exactly what you'd ask of Margi Clarke, Peter Firth as Elaine's Russian sailor traded a bit in sentimentality, and Alfred Molina as Teresa's was just that tiny bit too bearish. Supporting cast was wonderful. A special note on the soundtrack. Yes, the accents certainly were authentic (I don't know Liverpool all that well, but the speech was certainly what you'd hear), and what might come across as the coarseness seemed absolutely fitting; it may seem an odd thing to say, but there are times when subtitles in standard English might have helped - notably the opening dialogue between Elaine and Tracey, where the unfamiliarity (at that point) of the Scouse speech conflicted with the traffic noise.

At other times, you work your way into it, but I still had the feeling that some of the funniest lines (of which there were many) were opaque to me. The problem was much like that of Barney Platts-Mills' "Bronco Bullfrog" about a decade earlier - sound recording on the cheap and heavy accents, in that case East London - and the director did well to opt for sub-titles there. They might have worked here too. The cinematography is pretty good for a low-budget feature, and the setting perfect (as you'd expect - Liverpool playing Liverpool); the battered city still has its beauties, most not missed, all of them recognizable (the Pier Head; Hope Street; the Royal Liver Building). I especially liked the vista of Birkenhead's skyline as Moscow; in fact, the ferry journey probably contained the best photography of all. Concluding impression was favourable overall. If the script had been less preachy, and the rest of the leads up to Alexandra Pigg's standard, this might have been a little classic. Format: VHS Tape As a rule i'm not really a fan of Margi Clark, but she is convincing in this film, as i suspect she was playing herself.

There are some heart warming moments in the film, and some funny scouse moments too. Two twenty something girls decide to make a quiet drink down the pub, into something more exciting. They leave the local and head into the city, to bag themselves some fellas to buy them drinks, the wage packet doesn't stretch to city centre bars and clubs. They get chased out of one club, after Margi's character (Teresa) steals a wallet full of money. They safely make it to another club, where they meet two Russian sailors. They spend the night with the Russians, Teresa with the rugged Sergei. Elaine is looking for love with Peter, but he leaves for Russia the next day. She dreams of being together with him, and in her desparation to get away from her dull life; she writes a letter to the Soviet leader Brezhnev. He replies to her letter, with permission to go over the Soviet Union and be reunited with Peter. Local MP's try to dissuade her, but she is determined and she leaves knowing she will probably never see Liverpool or family again. Not a usual Saturday night scenario, even in a dockland city. Lots of comedy moments, some may only be appreciated by scousers.

A nice bit of romantic fantasy, not a lot of that went on in Liverpool in the 1980's, Elaine being on the dole and completely sick of it. The only realism being will she have a better life in this communist country, will it matter if she has her true love? A lot can be taken from Elaine's spirit and determination, and may have spurred a few people on during that time of mass unemployment. Definitely worth a watch! 0Comment | 7 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Please write at least one word You must purchase at least one item from Amazon to post a comment A problem occurred while submitting your comment. Please try again later. Format: DVD I have wanted to write this review for a long time. In fact for over twenty years since I first saw this wonderful film I have wanted to share my views with someone. Now, living in the United States where the film is only available on VHS, I am able to write it. This is a lovely little love story but despite that I absolutely love it. I used the film in economics and sociology lectures to illustrate a number of different socio-economic and historic processes but throughout this is an unashamed love story.

The backdrop for the movie is the almost unemployed port of Liverpool, once the gateway to the West, and now an almost industrial museum set against the backdrop of the Liver building and Paddy's wigwam. The time is the early 80's where the decimation of manufacturing industry through exposure to competitive economic global forces through the policies of the Labour government under Chancellor Healey, followed by the Thatcher government under Chancellor Howe, resulted in mushrooming structural unemployment. As the characters emerge from the soulless housing estates thrown up since the 1960's such as Skelmersdale where this writer spent a year whilst undergoing teacher training, we see the nasty and brutal existance forced upon young people as the techno pop of the new romantics pulsates in the background in a somewhat escapist mode. Survival is the key but there is more to life than being unemployed or plucking chickens as the inhabitants of my home town Sunderland celebrate in the pubs and clubs on weekends when the paycheck or unemployment payment arrives.

The story of the chance meeting in a bar and love at first sight followed by a night in a quayside hotel is a story played out in many towns and cities throughout the British isles but whereas the relationships established generally lead to a grim perpetuation of the existing circumstances in this case one of our heroes has a dream. Realising a dream is fraught with problems, especially when the general demeanour of a country is totally opposed to that of another. In this case our Kirby girl falls for a Soviet sailor who happens to be Russian and once his ship departs she discovers the harsh reakity of living in a bureaucratic centralised state, ie Britain. To achieve success she must battle lies and spin, fight the government and the press and become a pawn in a propaganda battle which ends with the victory of the soviet government who enable the reunion of the two lovers behind an iron curtain. There is much in this movie, the escapism and the fantasy. The brief intimate interludes which punctuate the dreary drudge of life in a factory in soulless towns. The centrality of a family unit in cramped conditions where relationships are fraught and edgy.

The dreams and realities of an intelligent young woman with little educational success in an environment of competition for few eligible males which is often vicious. One of the most illuminating scenes is towards the very end of the movie where the hardened friend is wishing Elaine goodbye at the airport and her veneer cracks when she is alone. My only complaint is the seagulls which normally follow the ferry across the Mersey could not look more fake than on this movie. After spending a year near Merseyside I can say that I found the people there to be the salt of the earth and well represented by this movie. It is a film which comes along only once in a while but which is worth every compliment which can be paid to it. I have no hesitation recommending this to everyone although I feel that in my adopted country they will need subtitles. 0Comment | 11 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Please write at least one word You must purchase at least one item from Amazon to post a comment A problem occurred while submitting your comment. Please try again later.

Showing 0 of 0 comments Sort by: Format: VHS Tape I loved this film when it first came out in 1985 and seeing it now it still has the same effect. It is wonderfully romantic and gives a very poetic sense of Liverpool, as well as of that era. It is not a complex film, having the clear outlines of a fairy tale, and is quite a lot about friendship as well as love. The central idea of the letter to Brezhnev is inspired, especially coming at that particular time. The two girls are excellent and there's enough edge in the characterisation to prevent any blandness from creeping in - Margi Clark in particular is quite sparky, while there is a neat reversal of character implied towards the end that is subtle and rings true. Alexandra Pigg is also uncannily good at suggesting the determination that comes to the fore later in the film even in the earlier stages. Having seen Alfred Molina in a number of roles since I had forgotten this Russian role, so his accent comes as a bit of a surprise, but he actually takes the part very well, as does Peter Firth, who manages to be both ordinary and romantically appealing.

The first half of the film is particularly good, with the girls sailing close to the wind at times, but caught up in the whirlwind of romance in some inspired sequences in a disco - even in rapturous slo-mo on the dance floor to make the moment last - and later in a hotel. And in the former it is delightful to hear the Bronski Beat hit "Hit That Perfect Beat" which seems to conjure those heady disco days so vividly ... If it doesn't quite capture the breadth of My Beautiful Laundrette, released in the same year, it nevertheless exerts a strong pull and is one of those 80s films that will hopefully remain etched in our collective memory of that decade for as long as it remains a living memory, after which it will pass into the realm of a myth, perhaps, like Icarus ... 0Comment | One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Please write at least one word You must purchase at least one item from Amazon to post a comment A problem occurred while submitting your comment. Please try again later. Format: DVD I went to the flicks with my best mate to watch Letter to Brezhnev in 1985...

I bought it this year (2015) as a Christmas present for her daughter who is now 21.We all watched it on boxing day, what a great movie, it brought back a lot of memories from my Liverpool days. It was great to see inside The State again. 0Comment | One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Please write at least one word You must purchase at least one item from Amazon to post a comment A problem occurred while submitting your comment. Please try again later. Format: DVD 'Letter To Brezhnev' is one of the all time great, cult British movies, a superb script by Frank Clarke (who went onto pen more notable cult films such as 'The Fruit Machine' and 'Blonde Fist') and some impressive performances from a cast of relatively unknown actors at the time. The film centers around two strong willed Liverpool women, Teresa (played by the irrepressible Margi Clarke, sister of Frank) and Elaine (Alexandra Pegg) who meet two Russian sailors, and hook up for a meaningless but exciting one night stand each.

Whilst the loud, brass Teresa is looking for nothing more than just that, Elaine falls deeply love with her sailor and dreams of a better life away from 1980s Liverpool, where Thatcher and her government were hammering the working classes. Elaine dreams of love and romance but her world soon comes crashing down when her new found love is returned to Russia. Desperate, she writes a letter to the Soviet leader Brezhnev and he writes back. 'Letter To Brezhnev' is a beautiful film, funny, sad, gritty and moving at the same time. It isn't really that much of a 'soppy' love story but more of an accurate portrayal of how life was like for working class people in Liverpool during the 80s. It is another Film Four production, who have made the best low budget British Films of the last thirty years, and 'Letter To Brezhnev' is certainly one of those films. 0Comment | One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse Please write at least one word You must purchase at least one item from Amazon to post a comment A problem occurred while submitting your comment. Please try again later.

DVD Savant Review: Letter to Brezhnev & My Life is Hell Savant Pal Region 2 Guest Reviews: Letter to Brezhnev My Life is Hell Separate releases reviewed by Lee Broughton England's C'Est La Vie have hit the mark with two very different releases that just happen to share a common plot device: an extraordinary night out on the town results in each films' female lead pursuing a love affair that is troubled by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. One involves a Russian sailor frozen out by Cold War politics, the other a former demon who has just three months in which to prove that he's a reformed character. Letter to Brezhnev is a gritty British classic set in recession-hit, 1980s Liverpool. My Life is Hell is an unusual and sometimes quite bizarre fantasy-cum-romantic comedy set in 1990s France. Letter to Brezhnev Chris Bernard Synopsis: In mid-1980s Liverpool, Teresa (Margi Clarke) finishes her shift at a chicken factory and treats her unemployed friend Elaine (Alexandra Pigg) to a girls' night out that neither of them can really afford.

A chance encounter with two Russian sailors, Peter (Peter Firth) and Sergei (Alfred Molina), leads to Elaine and Peter falling in love. When they subsequently try to keep in touch by post, they find that both the British and the Russian authorities are keen to scupper their long-distance relationship. In desperation, Elaine writes a letter to the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev asking for his help. The cliché-cum-accepted given that all Liverpudlians remain somehow Beatle-esquely witty and philosophically hopeful and upbeat in the face of adversity made Liverpool the choice setting for a number of hard-hitting dramas that highlighted the severe economic and social problems that the UK faced during the Eighties. These shows succeeded in telegraphing the real feelings of desperation that the Northern working classes were experiencing but their Scouse protagonists' dogged refusal to just roll over and accept the hardships forced upon them engendered a welcome sense of resistance, while their ability to retain their sense of humour gave rise to an equally welcome sense of hope. Letter to Brezhnev isn't always as obviously political as some of its contemporaries but it is a real winner in the 'resistance and hope' stakes.

The gritty nature of its everyday life subject matter, and its characters' struggles, allows parts of the film to claim a connection to both Italian neorealism and the British New Wave. By contrast, elements of its final act are just plain fanciful fantasy. But everybody knew that. Nobody really believed that the Soviet premier could or would have involved himself in the workings of a trans-continental love affair in real life. But the very notion that an unemployed, working class girl from Liverpool could move a world leader, and defy the bureaucracy of the British government, by simply digging her heels in and refusing to give up on her simple-if-impossible dream was something that British cinema-goers of the time were only too happy to embrace. On the occasions that he does get overtly political, scriptwriter Frank Clarke pulls no punches with his wry observations. Elaine desperately wants to work but there simply isn't any work for her. Having a job means that Teresa is viewed as "one of the lucky ones" but this luck involves her working all week in a "dump doing a job that's fuckin' disgusting" just in order to survive on a pittance.

When Peter explains that, in Russia, if you don't work you don't eat Elaine responds with "It's a bit like that here as well." And when an obnoxious journalist asks Elaine how she would cope with the food shortages in Russia, she advises him that he'd soon find food shortages in English kitchens too if he'd only care to look. Ultimately Elaine comes to the conclusion that life in the Soviet Union really could be no worse than the life she presently has in the UK. Letter to Brezhnev is a really quite remarkable little feature. Low budget and disarmingly simple in its basic premise and execution - much of its runtime is taken up by the events of just one night and the following day - the film heralded the cinematic debuts of its director, its scriptwriter and most of its cast. Made up of mostly local faces, the cast and crews' relative inexperience is evident in some sections but the enthusiasm and self-belief projected by all concerned obscures most of the film's minor shortcomings.

It's generally presumed that Firth and Molina (who were already established film actors) and Pigg (who had acted in a TV soap) were systematic in bringing a sense of professionalism to the production but the first-timers and non-professionals all carry themselves well too. Whether by accident or design, Letter to Brezhnev is a film that could be described as World Cinema and the show was completely at home when it was screened on the UK's second Arts channel, Channel Four. But the film's undeniable wit and charm, along with its natural and engaging sense of exuberance and the irrepressible Margi Clarke's quite superb turn as Teresa, ensured that the feature found an eager audience on the UK's popular cinema circuits too. Twenty years on, the Eighties night-club fashions have dated the film a touch but Alan Gill's excellent symphonic/electro soundtrack score has lost none of its emotional pull and the film itself still manages to project a magic all of its own. Some shots on this DVD presentation look just a tad tight at the sides while other shots play just fine. Footage from the film's premiere included in the extra features section does suggest that the image here has been slightly cropped at each side.

That said, this film was financed in part by Channel Four and so much of its framing would probably have been set up with the film's eventual 4:3 television transmission in mind. The film was shot on 16mm and, given that fact, the picture quality here is reasonably grain free for the most part. There are odd bits of minor print damage present but the image itself is fairly colourful and sharp and the sound is very good. Two interesting period featurettes are complimented by a new production which features Chris Bernard talking us through a selection of behind-the-scenes footage and location shots. Bernard, Alexandra Pigg and Margi Clarke each provide a separate commentary track. My Life is Hell Josiane Balasko Synopsis: A dowdy dental nurse, Leah Lemonnier (Josiane Balasko), spends her days fantasizing about her psychiatrist, Dr Langsam (Richard Berry).

When Leah's jet-setting mother (Catherine Samie) leaves a grotesque antique mirror at her daughter's apartment, Leah receives a visitation from Abargadon (Daniel Auteuil), a wise-cracking "5th circle demon on a surface mission." Harassment from Abargadon results in Leah losing her job and she is forced to sign a pact with him in order to meet her psychiatry bills. It turns out that the pact was actually intended for Leah's mother and the Archangel Gabriel (Michael Lonsdale) steps in, voiding the contract and ordering Abar to return to Hell. Instead Abar treats Leah to a fantastical night out on the town which reveals to her how sweet life really is, bringing out her own inner beauty in the process. But disobeying Gabriel results in Abar being transformed into a mortal and he is given three months in which to renounce Satan or face enduring forever the pain that he brought to his former clients. With the pair now hopelessly in love, Leah becomes determined to help Abar reform.

We're essentially dealing with a burlesque romantic comedy here but writer/director/lead-actress Josiane Balasko has cooked up a quite novel theme that, in turn, throws up some bizarre notions and imagery: angels dress in white and travel in white limousines that can fly while demons dress in black, drive black drag-racer cars and hang out in their very own bad boys' bar. And Abar is a decidedly bad boy - the contract that he forced on Leah had a small print clause that gave her just ninety days to live - but he's got a mischievous streak, and a sense of justice, that Leah comes to find attractive. Part of the film deals with the way that society and the media deem looks and body-shape to be of more importance and significance than personality and the person within, and these sections are pursued with something of a feminist edge. Leah is ecstatic when Abar temporarily transforms her into 'Scarlett' (Jessica Forde), a hot blonde who effortlessly captivates Dr Langsam and his cronies when she bumps into them on the golf course.

Back at the club house, Abar grants Leah/'Scarlett' her request to be miniaturized so that she can sneak up and hear the compliments that the men must surely be making about her. Alas she's deeply upset when she hears their sexist and degrading private banter. Abar decides to grant her the last laugh by giving her a penis just prior to Langsam getting her alone. Leah also has to contend with unwanted attention from her sex, drugs and porn-obsessed neighbour, Mr Chpil (Jean Benguigui). He's some kind of mover and shaker in the music business and he is determined to bed Leah, advising one visiting rock star that "dogs like her can be great in the sack. She's so uptight, it's a turn-on." When Abar inadvertently drinks a cocktail containing "Chartreuse, made by monks" he starts melting away: he and Leah rush round to Chpil's place to secure an antidote, a bottle of 'Drano' detergent.

When a recuperated Abar carelessly tosses the half-empty bottle to one side, its spilt contents melt Chpil's favourite blow-up doll and Abar is forced to conjure up two demonic beauties to pacify him. Chpil's excitement doesn't last long because the pair soon transform themselves into dominant and vicious wild panthers. Balasko's political observations widen in scope towards the end of the film when Leah and Abar become destitute and are forced to live in poor housing in the immigrant quarter. Seeing the reduced quality of life that the city's poor have to endure, along with the mundane nature of standing in endless queues to find a job that pays a pittance etc, really affects Abar, who is used to getting what he wants when he wants it and supernaturally jaunting from one place to another in an instant. Unfortunately, somebody wants Abar's quest for rehabilitation to fail and when he mysteriously gets his supernatural powers back he finds it impossible to resist using them: which leads to something of a twist ending for the film. This film never stands still for a moment. It's continually veering off into bold and unexpected directions and introducing new and unfamiliar aesthetic approaches.

I'm sure that this means that more than one viewing is needed to fully appreciate the film's finer points. The acting here is generally excellent (Auteuil makes for a convincing demon in human form) and Balasko's direction is unfussy but good. The framing on some shots looks just a little rushed but Balasko makes pretty good use of the 2.35 frame most of the time. My Life is Hell is certainly one of the most interesting films to have come out of France during the Nineties but I was left feeling that the film couldn't quite decide whether it wanted to be a full-on romantic comedy-cum-fantasy in the European tradition or an eccentric but humorous Art House piece with something important to say. Richard Berry feels that Balasko has simply made a film which is about "the worries and the existentialist anguish of a woman" adding that, in an attempt to address and understand these issues and concerns, she has chosen to place them within "an extremely excessive and delirious context" while "pushing things to the limit." Given the often esoteric nature of the films that C'Est La Vie select for release it's not always possible for them to find and secure pristine elements.

There's no such problem here, though. The quality of this disc's anamorphically enhanced picture is excellent. Same goes for the audio, which features the film's original French soundtrack supported by removable English subtitles. The content of the Richard Berry interview is particularly thoughtful and intelligent. On a scale of Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor, Letter to Brezhnev Liverpool's film roles to be celebrated in new city exhibition - Liverpool Echo Liverpool's film roles to be celebrated in new city exhibition Museum of Liverpool's Reel Stories will feature film posters and memorabilia Share A promotional poster for Letter to Brezhnev (Photo: Frank Clarke and Jamie Reid) Share Get What's On updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Liverpool has become known as a film city with a host of major movies and TV shows being shot on our streets each year. In fact, it’s now the most filmed city in the UK outside London and boasts its own film office which brings an estimated £20m into the economy. Now it’s role in the movie industry over the past 60 years is being celebrated in a new exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool .

Reel Stories: Liverpool and the Silver Screen, opening next month, will feature 40 original film posters along with other memorabilia celebrating Liverpool’s starring role in films featuring the city. And it also looks at Liverpool’s historic cinemas such as The Paramount and The Forum. Curators say the exhibition “shines the spotlight on Liverpool’s cinematic history and celebrates its enduring relationship with the silver screen”. Of Time and the City (Photo: Photograph Bernard Fallon, Design John McGill) Paul Gallagher, acting senior curator of urban history at the Museum of Liverpool, said: “One of the earliest posters on display is Waterfront, a film made in 1950. “We’ve got a whole section that explores the waterfront – the portal into the city - its stories and people. “Other themes include crime, youth sub-culture and faith, as well as the works of Liverpool auteur, Terence Davies whose idiosyncratic films include Distant Voices, Still Lives, The Long Day Closes and more recently, Of Time and the City. “Very few cities are instantly recognisable on screen; Liverpool ranks alongside the likes of New York, Los Angeles and London.

“It’s testimony to the number and range of films made here that Liverpool has embedded its architecture, landmarks and characters in the minds of movie-goers.” Revengers Tragedy - part of Reel Stories at the Museum of Liverpool (Photo: Courtesy of Alex Cox) Among other items on display are posters for films like Revengers Tragedy, directed by Wirral’s Alex Cox and adapted by Frank Cottrell Boyce . The 2002 film, starring Christopher Eccleston, Derek Jacobi, Eddie Izzard and Drew Schofield, wasn’t merely set in Liverpool but was also shot and edited in the city, and employed a local crew. Meanwhile the 1985 film Letter to Brezhnev, featuring Alexandra Pigg and Margi Clarke, and, from more recent times, Awaydays, starring Stephen Graham , are also featured in the show. An AWAYDAYS film poster (Photo: Studiocanal) Since the Liverpool Film Office was opened in 1989, the city has hosted more than 6,000 productions and has stood in for everywhere from New York to Russia (on the same film – Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit ), Belfast, London and Chicago.

Assistant Mayor and cabinet member responsible for the Film Office, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: “This is set to be a fascinating exhibition and will give a taste of the breadth of films in which Liverpool has taken a starring role. “We’re pleased to have supported National Museums Liverpool with this showcase and think it’s a great insight into our silver screen success.” Reel Stories: Liverpool and the Silver Screen runs from March 11 to January 29, 2017.

Question: Which 1985 romantic comedy starring Alexandra Pigg and Margi Clarke was set in Liverpool?
Answer: Letter To Brezhnev