Shining Through (1992)

As a late movie about World War II, "Shining Through" has the intrigue and action of a good mystery. It's an espionage film based on a fiction novel by Susan Isaacs. But the plot of this film is so incongruous that it's hard to believe to begin with. That's often okay with fiction, except that in this case the viewer can't shake the sense that the story is preposterous. The acting is okay, but there just is way too much in this movie to give it any sense of plausibility. After all, most of us watching a film of this nature like to think that it really happened or could have happened. With no special qualities in it, "Shining Through" is just a so-so film. Hollywood tried to sell this one with a considerable cast of three big male names – Michael Douglas, Liam Neeson, and John Gielgud, but such a cast could only raise a ponderous, disjointed, confusing plot to six stars. This movie is supposed to be a romance as well, however strange. That defies all the traditions and we can see why those make sense. As with so many modern films made about WW II, the settings and scenes seem phony and staged. This film has much glitz and glamour, and lots of action, but little coherence and substance.

This film was nicely staged, probably with a hefty budget, but in terms of wartime intrigue, it falls as flat as a Pfannkuchen. Melanie Griffith is inept in her role as a would-be spy in Nazi Germany. With her character's stupidity and embarrassingly unconvincing command of the German language, she would not have lasted a half-hour before being discovered by the Gestapo and sent back in a boxcar to Hollywood. Michael Douglas's performance was good during the first part of the film, but his "heroic" rescue of Linda Voss was implausible in the extreme, almost laughably so. It was a miscalculation to have Linda narrate the story in a long series of flashbacks, as we in the audience were consigned to feel no threat whatsoever to her survival. And why do the native Germans speak in (subtitled) German for much of the film but then revert to English in other parts? That strains our suspension of disbelief. Worst of all, a spy thriller should never be as boring as "Shining Through." I had trouble staying awake, which surely is not a good sign.

I had never seen this WWII spy flick prior till tonight. I tuned in because I saw Liam Neeson's name in the credits. I found this movie barely watchable. Melanie Griffith's narration in her dizzy girl voice drove me to distraction. The plot and dialogue were ridiculous (secretaries got to chime in during top secret briefings in the 40's and volunteer johnny-on- the -spot to be a spy)Michael Douglas seemed wooden and bored. The two leads Griffith and Douglas had no chemistry whatsoever. My favorite part was when Mel's newly minted secret spy bag's hidden compartment popped open in front of the SS guy and he barely blinks. He looks at her papers then leaves. Basically everyone else had to look dumber than Melanie, the dumbest spy the Allies ever unleashed on Germany. Another implausible moment was when the character has the bright idea of taking the kiddies of SS officer Liam Neeson to a Jewish ghetto to find her relatives . As soon as they got home, the kids tells dad all about their little adventure and he doesn't seem curious or angry that they were put in serious danger! So much of this was bad or poorly executed. Don't waste your time waiting for any shining moments in "Shining Through."

If you are -like me- one that thinks movie are a non-descriptive, but evocative form of art, well then go and see this one.I could not care if the the plot has holes or if historically there is something wrong or not. I never analyzed that, I say that just because it is mentioned so many times in previous posts.This movie evocate love, friendship, strength, focus... you name it. Melanie and M. Douglas play at their best, and I could not see another movie where they play at the same level. A perfect romantic movie, in a fantastic historical plot.The plot flows smoothly, it is a sweet story of love and human feelings. Go and see it.