Shirley Valentine

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

How many of us are watching Channel 5 and have an urge to go to Greece?

It came out when I was a teen. She is a lesson in emotional load management.

Loved it ! Saw it with my mum at the cinema and it made me emotional watching it the other night as she has dementia now and we used to love going to Greece together ☹️

To all the Shirley Valentine lovers; I recommend MrsCaldicots cabbage war. Basically a playbook on how to break out similarly once you are retired.

It's always scary realising you are older than characters in films you loved when you were younger. Realising I was older than Bernard Cribbins in The Railway Children was a sobering thought, as a child I always thought of him as ancient!

Love Shirley Valentine, my Mum loved it but of course she was the exact same age as Shirley when it first came out and I was a student, she wasn't working although she did go back to teaching a few years later (she wanted to go back to work after my younger sister started school but Dad didn't want people to think he couldn't support his family!).

@corlan

Choked up at the bit where Shirley says, 'I've led such a little life.'

I literally just read that as she said it on telly ( on again now)! ! How strange, is that a sign?

I thought where her husband shoved the chips and egg in her lap was interesting. Would have been very sensitively shot/ dramatic music these days. Telling it was rather more accepted in 1980 whatever.

Yes, saw that! Thought there must be some backhander from the Greece tourist board.

Such a great film.

I watched Educating Rita very recently, and was surprised by how emotional I felt, and how I loved being at University, and the freedom it gave me, and how long ago that was!

I'm neither Rita, or Shirley - but there are huge amounts I can identify with them both.

I have tried to watch this three times this weekend.

The first two times I picked it up too late, but watched anyway.

I voice searched on Sky Q, booked it with Channel 5 and the bloody thing started recording after the first thirty minutes, still watched it though, so I have ordered it and Steel Magnolias and Terms of Endearment from Amazon for less than a tenner.

I've gone and rewatched it after reading this thread.

My childhood was a bit like Shirley's life was, dad came home from work and the dinner was on the table at 5.30 sharp. I'm embarrassed to say now but he used to have us bang out utensils on the table if it was late, my poor mum!

My dad was made redundant and my mum went back to work as a teacher. Having money of her own instead of a set amount of housekeeping every week meant she filed for divorce and was so much happier.

My dad decided to find a new wife and married the first woman he met and she then ran around after him, I honestly don't think he has cooked a single meal in his life.