Filming on location in the greater south east, including St Albans where the story is set, John (Ben Chaplin) is a bank clerk who decides to order a Russian mail-order bride. When Nadia (Nicole Kidman, also known as Sophia) arrives, John is shocked to discover that she is not what she appears to be. Not only that but her friend's actions set John on a journey he has not bargained for. Special thanks to Hemel and St Albans councils and residents appear in the final credits.
Release / Airing: 28/06/2002
Locations used for this production:
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Action Underwater Studios >
Underwater scenes were filmed at Action Underwater Studios.
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Ashridge Estate >
There are a number of woodland scenes involving John, Nadia and her friends, Alexei (Vincent Cassel) and Yuri (Matthieu Kassovitz) some of which are likely to be shot on the National Trust's, Ashridge Estate, including the picnic scene where the group go swimming and when Nadia and John walk through the forest trying to decide what to do for the best. Unfortunately individual scenes could not be verified in entirety. Other woodland scenes feature the Gorhambury Estate in St Albans, Hertfordshire where the Director, Jez Butterworth grew up.
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Gorhambury House >
John and Nadia drive through the countryside trying to decide what to do after Yuri and Alexei disappear. At a complete loss, John drives to the police station to tell them what has happened. The backdrop for this scene is the Gorhambury Estate in St Albans, Hertfordshire. Other woodland scenes are also likely to feature the Estate as a backdrop. Also, a scene which was shot in a car park in the nearby historic city of St Albans is the one involving Nadia and the binoculars.
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Hilton National, Stansted >
A number of hotel scenes are filmed at the Hilton National Stansted involving Alexei, Yuri and John. John arrives at the hotel after the party have checked in and has to decide a method of locating their room number which doesn't entirely go to plan. The hotel scenes involving Nadia and members of the group are either shot on a set or in a hotel in Sydney.
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Marlowes Shopping Centre >
John works in a bank supposedly in St Albans, but Hemel Hempstead High Street and the front of the Marlow Shopping Centre weare used as the backdrops for several aerial scenes centred on John's work place. There is also a scene where John and Nadia take a walk in silence on Hemel Hempstead's pedestrianised high street, and one where John makes a hasty departure from his bank having done what would have been the unthinkable the day before! Finally the scene where John and Nadia arrive at the police station was shot partially in an empty shop in Hemel Hempstead and in Bushey (also in Hertfordshire) but not accessible to the public.
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St Albans >
Car park scenes.
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Stansted Airport >
Due to actor availability, the airport scenes are shot on location at BAA Stansted, which features as itself in the story, Sydney Airport (Australia) and Kempton Park racetrack (London). In some cases scenes were shot a year apart, although it is not obvious. Scenes at Stansted include the arrival of John and Nadia on foot across the fields; at the entrance of the airport when John is not sure what he is going to do but makes the decision to leave Nadia - at that point the audience is seamlessly taken from Stansted to Sydney in the following scene as John approaches two policemen to turn himself in; and fleetingly prior to moving to scenes involving Alexei and Yuri where Alexei is having doubts about leaving Nadia.
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Tring >
A countryside aerial scene (the A41 from the M25 towards Tring) shows a dual carriage way which forms the backdrop for the scene after Nadia and John leave the police station in John's car following Nadia's breaking news. John, full of resolve earlier, is still trying to decide what to do for the best.
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These productions were filmed nearby:
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