<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-04</periodOfReport><issuer><issuerCik>0000828678</issuerCik><issuerName>FIRSTCITY FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>fcfc</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001237802</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>SARTAIN JAMES T</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>CEO</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>1.9</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1028910</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Additionally, Mr. Sartain owns 250,994 shares of common stock which are held of record by J-Hawk I,Ltd., the sole general partner of which is Combined Funding, Inc. The reporting person may be deemed to beneficially own such shares of common stock as a result of his ownership of over 50% of the common stock of Combined Funding Inc.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>James T. Sartain</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-06</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

