Shirley's World

I'll split the difference of the previous two reviews. "Shirley's World" is awful at times, but not all the time. However, it's never really that good, and that's the problem.

The premise is fine -- a globe-trotting female photojournalist getting herself and others in and out of trouble and experiencing adventure (vaguely) and love (infrequently and incompletely) along the way. It's the type of show which could have appealed to the discerning tastes of intelligent, early-70's TV viewers if anyone with an ounce of talent and/or commitment had written any of the scripts. It got so bad on the "A Girl Like You" episode that the writers just ripped off "My Geisha", the movie MacLaine made a decade earlier (of course, I'm assuming Shirley didn't suggest that story line. If so, she has no one to blame but herself).

The only constant selling point is Shirley, who is such a vivrant thing here, especially considering she was 37 when this series was filmed. She also looks different -- her traditional bob is nowhere to be found as she was in her natural, long-hair period that lasted through this series, the movies "Desperate Characters" and "The Possession of Joel Delaney", plus her stint pimpin' George McGovern as a '72 U.S. presidential candidate.

To date, Shirley MacLaine's only television series. Shirley was reputedly, uneasy about the whole production and it does show. But apart from a couple of fluffy first episodes you could not say the series was dull, as in her role as a globe trotting photographer (for a glossy magazine), she gets to solve crimes, save marriages and even join the circus ! A slick production with extensive location work from England to Asia, and a good support cast helped her along, with the likes of, for example Cyril Cusack (as a quite ingenious jewel thief).

I was only use to seeing Shirley previously in frumpy 'old before her time' roles, but here if you want to see Shirley looking gorgeous in jeans with the verve of a twenty something year old with drama and travelogue scenery thrown in, then check this show out.

That is of course if you can find it. A mention too for her editor played by John Gregson, not always seen but gives good value when he is. The support and crew certainly deserved a few brownie points for trying hard with this one.