Shirley Valentine

Shirley Valentine

I did not like this movie because it promotes cheaters instead of telling him she wants a divorce and then move out then take off she just leaves and cheats on him and then won't go home. This is not a good messege to show people like its ok to violate your vows just because your not happy. I did not like this movie because it promotes cheaters instead of telling him she wants a divorce and then move out then take off she just leaves and cheats on him and then won't go home. This is not a good messege to show people like its ok to violate your vows just because your not happy. Thats why i don't like this movie.

Middle-aged Shirley Valentine (Pauline Collins) likes to reminisce about her younger, rebellious days before she married, had children, and her life became a bore. When a friend invites her to go to Greece, she happily leaves Liverpool behind, knowing whatever lies ahead has to be better than what she has. I know this is a tremendously popular movie, but I found it really dull and predictable. Pauline Collins didn't engage me at all; she wasn't charismatic or interesting and I kept thinking, "There must be more to her..." but there wasn't. The photography on the island of Mykonos was lovely, but the story took such a fairy tale turn that all reality went out the window. Shirley quite often looked into the camera and addressed the audience, a technique that works well if the character is likable or funny, or outrageous, but Shirley was none of these. The movie tried too hard to be cute, but was just boring.

Shirley had lost herself in the humdrum lifestyle of a housewife with kids grown and an indifferent husband stuck in his own boring routine. She strikes out on a vacation to Greece to get in touch with the girl she once was. The show worked better as a theatre piece - as a one woman show. Here it gets cluttered up with a lot of characters and Shirley's asides to the camera do not always work. Pauline Collins is as great in the role as she was on stage. Greek men seeing this must cringe at the Tom Conte caricature of a Greek lover. I rated it an 8 for Pauline's performance and the music.

"Shirley Valentine" was originally a play, which starred Pauline Collins in the title role. After its successful run, the studio did something odd...they actually had Collins (a relative unknown in films) to play the same role. And, as you watch it, you can clearly see that the style is that of a play...with Shirley talking to the audience on occasion like you would much more likely see in a play. Shirley is a 40-something housewife who is in a funk. Her adult children are indifferent to her and her husband is no longer her lover but a total jerk who emotionally abuses and neglects her. Eventually, she gets fed up with her go nowhere life and takes up a friend's offer to go to the Greek island of Mykanos for a vacation away from the family. However, her friend soon hooks up with a man...leaving Shirley completely on her own. So what's next? See the film. The main reason I saw this film is that I have really enjoyed watching Tom Conti in films and he co-stars in the movie...though you don't see him until rather late in the film. Now I am not complaining...even without him the film would have been lovely as well as wistful and sad. My heart really went out to Shirley and her plight. As for Conti? Oddly, he plays a Greek man...but does it well. So is it any good? In many ways, yes. Perhaps the reason I liked it more is that I, too, am middle aged and appreciated her struggle. Now, this isn't to say I loved everything about the film. One scene in particular was poorly done, as it lacked subtlety and was not written well. In the scene, Shirley is enjoying a local Greek restaurant and it seems like ALL the British tourists are obnoxious and boorish pigs who seem to hate everything about Greece. When you travel you do occasionally meet folks like this (I met a couple on cruises), but so many in one place being THAT awful? No...this is making a point with a sledgehammer! But while I have a reasonable complaint there, I really enjoyed everything else about the movie...so one scene didn't at all ruin it for me. I also wasn't thrilled with the message to have the affair....I say divorce the jerk and then have the affair! Overall, an important film that really speaks to a problem seldom talked about in movies. Not surprisingly, the production staff who did this film also made "Educating Rita"...a film with many of the same themes and about a middle-aged lady who decides to reinvent herself. By the way, if you ever get to Mykanos (and nearby Delos), I cannot imagine anyone hating it in any way. The place is gorgeous, the water the bluest I've ever seen and the food was simply amazing. Do yourself a favor...take a trip there just like Shirley did!

Before I start I must say I am a woman who has backpacked to over 40 countries & I am also an adventure travel consultant of over 20 years expierence (before covid) & I can say with hand on heart this is a terrific movie, but it's social message, which enourages women to travel alone abroard is a VERY bad message! I adsolutely adore Pauline Collins & I am even a fan of the original stage play which I saw several times years ago. The movie version does lack the intimacy of the live play, but the movie carries it's self very well, has excellent pacing & is really well directed. On film the "breaking of the forth wall" (a theater acting technique where actors directly adress the audience) does not come across so well on camera which can even look slightly amaturish in places. But the humor is still good & the flow of the story is very easy to follow. The music is also excellent & I enjoyed the glimpses into local life on a Greek island. Alison Steadman is also terrific as the selfish faux feminist friend. Saying all this though I am marking this down to a 4 because of it's rather risky social messages. Travel has litrally been my life & I have learned in that time women should never travel alone. Recently there has been a kind of massive promotion encouraging young women to travel solo as part of a globalist "female empowerment" drive, but ladies don't be fooled. Year after year, tragically young ladies end up raped & murdered all over the world. Your backpacking solo selfies might look good on instagram girls but it is not worth the risk. I beg women not to do this!! I also diden't like the English holiday makers clichés in Shirley Valentine. I have no doubt that some English tourists are this dumb & bigoted but I believe it is a minority. I know back in 1989 when this was made we could have a laugh at our dumb, bigoted British holiday makers, but today it's a bit more serious because it has become VERY fashionable to denigrate, mock & discriminate against British people, British culture & British history. Today we are simply 3rd class global citizen "Little Englanders" who dared to vote for Brexit! Anyway, no worries as I doubt this will be shown on TV today.which is almost a shame as it is a very watchable film, with decent humor & an uplifting theme. But we need to remind ourselves that this IS fiction & should not be taken too seriously. We must remember that time back then was totally different to the world we live in today. It was more innocent back then & we could have some fun, & Shirley Valentine absolutely reflects this.

Pauline Collins received a deserved Oscar nomination for feel-good performance as Shirley Valentine, stifled working-class housewife from Liverpool who tires of her boring job and dull marriage and splits for a vacation alone in Greece. Willy Russell adapted his own play, with Collins occasionally addressing the camera directly, and for a few awkward scenes it feels like nothing more than a stunt. Russell balances antiquated "You Can Do Anything"-isms with saucier set-pieces and gags, and the results are both warm and queasy. Still, Collins overcomes the self-conscious, unsure handling of the material and creates a memorable, funny woman. She's the genuine article, the picture itself is not. **1/2 from ****

I'm not the target audience for this film. I prefer gunfire, heroics, romance and laughs. "Shirley Valentine" has only the last element, but it's a kind of endearing film. It lets us dudes look at what your mother's or aunt's life might be like at some point. That's kind of the appeal; see how the other half lives, so to speak. That, and it's a nice little film that doesn't take itself too seriously. Yeah, there're a lot of clichés here, but I think there's a unique enough twist in them to let viewers enjoy the film for what it is. I mean, it ain't "Quo Vadis". Heck, it ain't even "Porky's" (thank goodness). It ain't the "Godfather", "Giant" nor anything else. It's a nice little tribute to that person who took care of you when you were younger. Remember her? Good. Because that person deserved a film, and this is it. Yeah, it's a bit over the top and smarmy, but what the heck.

For all of you middle-aged men and women who wonder just who you are, and where you're going; this is the movie for you!! What an insight to the real human spirit!! I've watched this several times and never fail to shed a tear over how I spent my life. This is a MUST DO for any adult struggling to make it. ( Bring a hankie) This is for men also!! The director has touched on the basic human emotion; who are we, why are we here, and most of all; what happened to "ME"? This movie has addressed so many questions that we all have, being caught up in the every day life, but always wondering-----"what if"? What a release for us to see that some times a person will follow their dreams! The message here is---Be true to yourself!!