Shirley Valentine [DVD]

I worked at a film festival that showed this when I was in my twenties. I’ll be 70 next year and now this movie is even better…if that’s possible.

This movie is like a middle aged woman, coming of age story. She runs away to Greece and finds herself. That just makes you want to cheer! Go Shirley Valentine!

What a wonderful movie! I first discovered this treasure years ago when it was only available on VHS. I just bought the DVD (American DVD region version) and I am thrilled that it is now offered on DVD. This movie follows the main character,Shirley Valentine, as she comes to the realization that her life as a housewife in London is a drab existence, far from the life she led in her younger years (shown in flashbacks).When Shirley Valentine decides to change her life, she joins her friend on a trip to Greece where she has a romantic encounter with the owner of the restaurant she frequents. They end up on his boat and make love there. After her one 'day' stand, Shirley embraces all things Greece. When it comes time to leave, Shirley decides to stay at the last minute, leaving her friend to return home alone. Shirley then blackmails the restaurant into letting her work for him. In the end her husband goes to Greece to get her but does not recognize her as he passes by her on his way to the restaurant.One major feature of this movie is that Shirley talks to the audience, or the wall, throughout the movie. This is not as distracting as one might assume it to be. In fact it works to draw the viewer even deeper into the world of the movie.This movie has great acting, beautiful scenery, romance, humor, sadness and joy. When the movie ends, if you are like me, you will feel a pang...because you don't want it to end. This movie is like many movies of years gone by, it draws you into the world of the film and gets you really interested in the characters and what happens to them. This is a rare thing in todays world.I have watched this movie countless times, and I still enjoy it just as much as I did the first time I watched it. If you are a sucker for a good romance movie, or just a lover of beautiful, well crafted movies, Shirley Valentine is a must to own. Believe me, if you love movies, you will love this movie.There is brief nudity during the love scene on the boat, but no graphic sex. There is minimal use of profanity. This is a great 'date' movie or a wonderful gift to give to any friend that loves great movies. I simply catton praise this movie too much, it really is that good.

Loved it. I've seen it three times.

I fell in love with this movie the year I turned 42 - just like the protagonist - and found it relatable, touching, and utterly delightful! I used to own it on VCR but gave it up during a move when I didn't have space for the VCR player or tapes. So happy to finally be able to own my own copy again after so long!

Hilarious movie, at times sad, and very real. Pauline Collins is indeed an awesome actress. This movie is still one of my favorites, even after having watched it more than 15 times!

All I can say is every woman should watch this movie. It's an older movie, but the message is the same. Don't be take advantage of by those who are closest to you. It's light and funny and perhaps husbands need to watch it too for a wake up call on how to treat your wife.

"Hiya Wall."What happens when you've got no one to talk to; when everyone takes you for granted? You might start talking to inanimate objects, or you might decide to escape for a while . . . say, to Greece, perhaps?Shirley Valentine takes a fairly mundane plotline - that of a lonely, underappreciated housewife - and weaves it into a story so full of humor and joie de vivre you'll be ready to pack your bags, too.Originally a one-woman stage production, the screenplay was wonderfully adapted for the large screen. Pauline Collins stars as Shirley Valentine, a role she played in the original stage production as well.Shirley Valentine-Bradshaw wonders what happened to the feisty young girl she used to be. Now an empty-nester housewife in Liverpool, she's stuck in a steak-on-Thursday rut. A series of closely spaced interactions that are out of her control act as a catalyst that allows Shirley to take back control of her own life.The part of the film that takes place in Greece is, of course, magnificent. But much more than just the setting is how Shirley is transformed by the experience.I first saw this film many years ago, and absolutely fell in love with it. A few years ago a local theater company produced the stage play, and I loved it so much I had to see it twice. It was fascinating to see the stage play, and compare that to the way the film was produced. I have even more admiration for the quirky film now, seeing how the writer and director were able to adapt it for the screen without losing the character of the stage production.My husband finds it ironic that two of my favorite films (the other being American Dreamer) deal with the same theme - bored housewife takes a trip abroad & has life changing experience. Even more ironic is that Tom Conti plays a somewhat similar role in both films.See this film! It's quirky cinema at its best.

This is the second region 2 dvd I've bought, and I tried playing it on three different dvd players, and it does not work. Neither did the first one. I am very disappointed, as this is one of my favorite movies.

Loved this movie 😃

First Class. The film was every bit as good as the first time we saw it. A big thank you to Amazon for still having it in stock

dead pleased, would strongly recomend

Pauline Collins ist hier sicher nur einem kleinen Publikum bekannt. Sie hatte eine Rolle in dem TV-Klassiker "Das Haus am Eaton Place" als Küchenmädchen Sarah. In SHIRLEY VALENTINE spielt sie eine Mittvierzigern, verheiratet mit 2 erwachsenen Kindern, die aus der Routine ausbricht und Ihren Traum (einmal Urlaub in Griechenland !) wahr macht und so wieder zu sich selbst findet. Der Film ist mit viel Herz gespielt und nicht nur für Frauen zu empfehlen. In weiteren Rollen sind Joanna Lumley als Edelhure und Tom Conti als griechischer Tavernenbesitzer zu sehen.Ich habe den Film lange Jahre auf Video und bin froh die DVD-Version zu bekommen. Eine deutsche DVD-Version ist mir bisher nicht bekannt.