From Liverpool to Russia, With Love: A Letter to Brezhnev and Cold War Cinematic Dissent in 1980s Britain

Abstract

This article examines British Cold War cinematic output of the 1980s. It first presents an overview of how British-made films covered Cold War issues and events during the decade. Thereafter it concentrates on one particular movie, the Liverpool-based A Letter to Brezhnev, released in 1985. Unique in calling for an end to the Cold War, this film combined criticism of Thatcherism with an unusually sympathetic portrayal of Russians. The article looks at why and how the film was made, the messages it carried, and its impact. In exploring the relationship between the filmmakers, songwriters and theatre directors, the article shows the scope that existed for dissent in British provincial popular culture during the latter stages of the Cold War.