That Summer

Often described as an unofficial sequel to Scum – Winstone’s main character Steve is fresh from Borstal – the rather gentler-toned That Summer holds special memories for Ray as he met his future wife Elaine during filming. It also notched him his first major award nomination, in the BAFTAs’ now-defunct category ‘Most Promising Newcomer to a Leading Film Role’. (He was one of two “losers”, the other being a Sigourney Weaver for Alien!) The Torquay-set Last Summer follows a pair of northern lasses who travel south to work as hotel chambermaids – where they meet rough-diamond Steve and enjoy various scrapes and adventures as he prepares for an around-the-bay swimming contest. A nostalgic snapshot of late-1970s Britain, as seen through the ‘outsider’ eyes of San Diego-born, Chicago-raised Cokeliss.