tieman64 David Seltzer directs "Shining Through". The plot? Melanie Griffith plays Linda Voss, a young woman of Irish/German Jewish parentage who, during the Second World War, begins a job as a secretary for a New York law firm. Here she works for Ed Leland (Michael Douglas), who appears to be an attorney."Shining Through's" first half is mostly excellent. Voluptuous, melodramatic and packed with homages to 1930s and 40s spy thrillers, the film initially finds Voss and Leland locked in a battle of the sexes. She possesses keen observational skills and a fierce intelligence, he's struggling to keep secret the fact that he's working for the Office of Strategic Services. After several well written sequences, packed with combative dialogue, Leland and Voss stop feuding. Afterall, why fight with a smart woman when you can use her talents as a spy? At this point, "Shining Through" becomes junk. What was once a humble spy drama, in which Melanie Griffith perfectly channels the pouty babes of 1940s pulp fiction, becomes a 1990s "Holocaust prestige picture". Here the "brave" and "daring" Voss becomes an "amazing woman" who "enters Germany" and faces "hardships" and "dangers" and sees first hand the "horrors of Nazism". In an instant, "Shining Through" becomes Oscar-bait."I have no use for Jews," a character states, before shooting Voss in the stomach. From this point onwards, "Shining Through" lays some very specific American mythology on thick. In Seltzer's hands, the secret services of the Allied Nations aren't but the clandestine wings of yet more Imperialists, but real "humanitarians" with real "concerns" for ordinary people. And so after learning that sneaky Germans have killed her family, the dying Voss is rescued by Leland, who drags her across international borders, taking bullets in his back and so shielding her from Nazi snipers. Having saved the world from Germany, having saved Jews from the clutches of evil, having provided a safe haven for the persecuted men and women of the world, American audiences then pat themselves on the back. The film ends with the words "thank you" played over the elderly faces of Leland and Voss, national heroes whose shining lights steer a nation through the night.Ironically, in the real world, the United States did everything it could not only to ignore the plight of European Jews (in many cases it actually fuelled their plight), but to limit the number of German Jews admitted during WW2. Less than 25 percent of its already low annual quota of 26,000 Jews were allowed in. Why? Because the Roosevelt administration – President Roosevelt already being notorious for his antisemitic remarks – invented miles of red tape so as to prevent Jews being "qualified" for entry. Even then, Roosevelt was insistent that those admitted should be "spread thin" across the country.6/10 – See "Notorious".

sharlenescott 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."

bessiesmith-1 This was in many ways an enjoyable film, but the many historical inaccuracies and the lack of attention to details is inexcusable. I lived through WWII, but that experience was hardly needed in order to spot this script's many eminently avoidable historical flaws. Writer/director David Seltzer must bear the blame here. This was not a low budget film, so hiring an historical adviser would surely have been a justifiable added cost. As it is, Shining Through comes close to being as implausible as any Star Trek film. That said, this movie had enough positive aspects to make it worthy of such criticism as I have leveled, but it could so easily have been a film to taken seriously.

acheapmom Melanie Griffith plays a World War II US government secretary who transforms herself into an effective spy. Underrated by those around her, she (educated at an unimpressive school) proves she is more street wise than the Vassar types her Harvard educated boss (Michael Douglas) has dated.Yes, it's a slight rehash of Working Girl(her earlier film as a secretary who fights her way to a better position). So what! It's the Cinderalla of the Office escape story for the many of us who were stuck in "9 to 5" jobs below our mental capacity!!!Griffith' character is a 1940's American secretary (who can speak a working class German learned from immigrant parents) who talks her way into actual spy work in wartime Germany! Douglas is the sometimes obtuse OSS (think pre-CIA) American spy guy who reluctantly signs her up for spy work.Joely Richardson is the German girl who has a few weeks as Griffith's best friend "Tell me about Clark Gable!!!". Sir John Gielgud is the stern taskmaster who is her spy leader in Germany...Liam Neeson plays the Nazi you feel a bit sorry for. He's a widowed version of Werner Von Braun who has also fallen in love with Griffith---now working full time as nanny and part time as spy searching for his hidden flying rocket Peenemunde plans!!!---I love many of the old World War II era drama/love/sometimes spy stories! So I love that this film evokes them! (Griffith's character evades capture and saves the day various times - by using techniques picked up in films of that era!!! A boon for trivia buffs..."Remember Mortal Storm with Jimmy Stewart???" ------------------------------------- HOW and WHY this film, Griffith, the script...got those nasty anti-awards listed here amazes me!!! Maybe she (like Kathie Lee for instance) just grates on some peoples' nerves!!!This is a moderately good film. (Betcha lots of women & film buffs are the bigger fans!!!) This film maybe doesn't fit the common demographics. A war adventure movie that might appeal to women more than men. With trimming of the bedroom scene, it could be shown to families with older kids...Even my hyper critical 10 year old son was asking questions (I had skipped the early bedroom scenes). Perhaps it's the Palin Effect (Griffith (like Palin) doesn't come across as nasty, gravely, tough enough to be smart!!!!!)Maybe she doesn't do "Vassar Speak"! But--(like Palin) her effective actions prove otherwise. You doubt her at your peril!