Shirley Valentine

I love this film. It helped me get my thoughts together at a time of big change in my life.

However, the DVD is a big disappointment. It is in the fullscreen ratio, rather than the original widescreen (although my edition is misleadingly labelled part of the Paramount "Widescreen Collection"). But more unforgiveable is that this is the US version of the film, with some of the best lines dubbed to make them understandable for an American audience. For a homegrown British classic, this is unbelievable.

This is one of my favourite films. Pauline Collins is fantastic as Shirley Valentine and who can blame her for talking to the wall. She wants something more from life than being taken taken for granted by her moaning husband. She goes off on holiday to Greece and discovers a whole new world and realising she is worth more she doesn't bother going back home. I have watched this film many times. It's a classic and very moving.

An excellent British comedy about a woman that is mistreated by her husband and rekindles the spark of life by travelling to Greece with a friend. She falls in love with the place and the people and comedic drama begins! In my opinion this is the best British film ever made.

Totally agree with ratstar, this is a poor release. Misleadingly called the "widescreen collection" this is anything but, in fact I recently recorded a better version from the BBC! The dubbing is unforgivable, even for US audiences, would they do the same to Shakespeare? I dread to think.
The movie is a an Oscar nominated British classic, with great writing and performances all round. Pauline Collins gives a masterclass as Shirley and legendary director Lewis Gilbert handles Willy Russell's script beautifully, often talking to camera can be clumsy and awkward, but this gives Shirley a sympathetic view, by the end she is a friend. With sterling supporting performances all round, especially from Alison Steadman and Joanna Lumley, and Bernard Hill, taking on smaller parts than usual - a mark of the respect Russell's work commands - this is a wonderful and hopeful storytelling. Shame the people who released the DVD didn't pay it the respect it deserves!

Shirley Valentine is a 1989 comedy/drama with a screenplay by the great Willy Russell that is based on his 1986 play of the same name. The film stars the wonderful Pauline Collins as Shirley Valentine-Bradshaw who is a fortysomething Liverpudlian housewife who is lost to her family who take her very much for granted. Her friend Jane wins a trip for two to Mykonos in Greece and Shirley after much soul searching agrees to leave her family and go with her.

While there Shirley finds that when a dream becomes a reality it is not always as we imagine. However, her self-confidence slowly grows and she begins to find her old self and decides to change the direction of her life. A wonderful film that is very well observed and will make you laugh and cry.