Shirley Valentine (1989)

Shirley's a middle-aged Liverpool housewife, who finds herself talking to the wall while she prepares her husband's chip'n'egg, wondering what happened to her life. She compares scenes in ... See full summary »

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Willy Russell (play), Willy Russell (screenplay)

Stars:

Pauline Collins, Tom Conti, Julia McKenzie

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pauline Collins	...	Shirley Valentine
Tom Conti	...	Costas
Julia McKenzie	...	Gillian
Alison Steadman	...	Jane
Joanna Lumley	...	Marjorie
Sylvia Syms	...	Headmistress
Bernard Hill	...	Joe
George Costigan	...	Dougie
Anna Keaveney	...	Jeanette
Tracie Bennett	...	Millandra
Ken Sharrock	...	Sydney
Karen Craig	...	Thelma
Gareth Jefferson	...	Brian
Gillian Kearney	...	Young Shirley
Catharine Duncan	...	Young Marjorie

Storyline

Shirley's a middle-aged Liverpool housewife, who finds herself talking to the wall while she prepares her husband's chip'n'egg, wondering what happened to her life. She compares scenes in her current life with what she used to be like and feels she's stagnated and in a rut. But when her best friend wins an all-expenses-paid vacation to Greece for two, Shirley begins to see the world, and herself, in a different light.

---

Plot Keywords:

greece | vacation | housewife | extramarital affair | holiday romance | 

---

Taglines:

No one thought she had the courage. The nerve. Or the lingerie.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 August 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shirley Valentine - Auf Wiedersehen, mein lieber Mann

Filming Locations:

Waldegrave School for Girls, Fifth Cross Road, Twickenham, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$6,353,913

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Actress (Pauline Collins) and Best Song ('The Girl Who Used To Be Me'), but the film failed to win an Oscar in either category.

---

Goofs

Gillian tells Shirley that their house is vegan but is giving the dog muesli and milk. Vegans don't have any dairy products.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Shirley Valentine: Hiya Wall.
[to the camera]
Shirley Valentine: Well what's wrong with that? There's a woman three doors down talks to her microwave. Talking to a microwave! Wall, what's the world coming to ?

---

Alternate Versions

In the theatrical release version, when she is talking about her husbands views on sex she says "But it doesn't go as well as the Ford Cortina", however in the version that was premiered on the BBC this line was dubbed to "but it doesn't go as well as the Ford Escort". Presumably this had something to do with product placement in that at the time the film was shown the Ford Escort was still being made whereas the Cortina ceased production in about 1983.

---

Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Oscar Nomination Surprises for 1989 (1990)

---

Soundtracks

The Girl Who Used to Be Me
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Performed by Patti Austin
Arranged by David Paich

User Reviews

A thoughtful comment on a fabulous film

This is a sweet yet hilariously funny film about a housewife from the north of England, who takes a trip to Greece and finds that there is more to life than the kitchen sink.

It's one of those films that should be seen by anyone that has at any point felt that there's something missing in their life or that they've had missed opportunities as you will have great empathy with the main character Shirley. Having said that, it's generally just a great film. Not only does it do a very good job at putting one in Shirley's shoes but it's also a great social comment about an average English persons life.

Having said all this, it's one of the funniest films I have ever seen. The humor is ever present throughout the film yet never takes away from the seriousness of Shirley's situation. I found I was smiling to myself all the way through. I particularly liked the way that it pokes fun at the common Englisman's appreciation of foreign hospitality.

Each character brings great life to the film particularly Pauline Collins and Tom Conti. Pauline's regular off-the-cuff comments add character to the film while Tom's smarmy approach entwined with his overall role in the story (without wanting to spoil it) make for an excellent watch.

Great appearances by Julia McKenzie, Alison Steadman and Joanna Lumley add great depth to Pauline's character whilst adding great comedy and life to the film.

Shirley Valentine is a gem of a film and a must see. The style is certainly not "Hollywood" and it appeals to the same tastes as other English greats such as -The Full Monty-.

I give it a strong 10 out of 10.