David Leland in Britain" won the Prix Italia (an international Television award) in 1984. In 1986 he wrote the screenplay for the thriller-drama "Mona Lisa", featuring Bob Hoskins. This film was critically acclaimed and Leland earned nominations for the Golden Globe and the Writers Guild of America. He then wrote "Personal Services" in 1986. It was directed by Terry Jones and was about Cynthia Payne, a real-life British madam who ran a private brothel. Julie Walters took the leading role. While "Personal Services" dealt with the adult life of Cynthia Payne, Leland's next film, "Wish You Were Here", concerned her teenage years.
Wish You Were Here (1987 film) an overall approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 reviews. Roger Ebert gave the film 3½ stars out of four, praising Lloyd's performance as "one of the great debut roles for a young actress". Wish You Were Here (1987 film) Wish You Were Here is a 1987 British comedy-drama film starring Emily Lloyd and Tom Bell. It was written and directed by David Leland. The original music score was composed by Stanley Myers. The story is loosely based on the formative years of Cynthia Payne. Sixteen-year-old Lynda Mansell lives in a small English seaside town in the