Shining Through (1992)

An American woman of Irish, Jewish-German parentage goes undercover in Nazi Germany.

Director:

David Seltzer

Writers:

Susan Isaacs (novel), David Seltzer (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Melanie Griffith, Liam Neeson

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Douglas	...	Ed Leland
Melanie Griffith	...	Linda Voss
Liam Neeson	...	Franze-Otto Dietrich
Joely Richardson	...	Margrete Von Eberstien
John Gielgud	...	Sunflower
Francis Guinan	...	Andrew Berringer
Patrick Winczewski	...	Fishmonger
Anthony Walters	...	Dietrich's Son
Victoria Shalet	...	Dietrich's Daughter
Sheila Allen	...	Olga Leiner, Margrete's Mother
Stanley Beard	...	Linda's Father
Sylvia Syms	...	Linda's Mother
Ronald Nitschke	...	Horst Drescher
Hansi Jochmann	...	Hedda Drescher
Peter Flechtner	...	S.S. Officer at Fish Market

Storyline

1940, Linda Voss is a woman of Irish, Jewish-German parentage who loves the movies, especially films about war and spies. She gets a job at a New York law firm, after it's revealed she can speak German, fluently. As secretary and translator to Ed Leland, she begins to suspect that her boss is involved in espionage work. The two become lovers, and when America officially joins the Allies in fighting Hitler, Linda volunteers to go undercover behind enemy lines.

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Plot Keywords:

anti semitism | worst picture razzie winner | nazi germany | spy | secretary | 

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Taglines:

He needed to trust her with his secret. She had to trust him with her life.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a scene of sensuality

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

31 January 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

I ørnens klør

Filming Locations:

Hansaviertel, Tiergarten, Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Gross USA:

$21,733,781

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,938,238

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox,Sandollar Productions,Peter V. Miller Investment Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Ed Leland's (Michael Douglas') office, Linda (Melanie Griffith) explains how she comes to know something about spying, and refers to a movie in which a character's tongue is cut out and says, "Have you seen 'The Fighting 69th'." The "Fighting 69th" was O.S.S. Bill Donovan's regiment in World War I.

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Goofs

During the dance, Leland wears the Army Blue Uniform, which was adopted July 1, 1957, with a Sam Browne belt, which was adopted after 1942.

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Quotes

Horst Drescher: [chewing raw dove] Delicious. Makes me feel like a volf.
[laughs]
Horst Drescher: [then gulps with a sick look on his face]

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Elizabeth Taylor/Michael Douglas (1992)

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Soundtracks

Goodbye Dear, I'll Be Back In A Year
Written by Mack Kay
Performed by Dick Robertson
Courtesy of MCA Records

User Reviews

Wonderful, artistically shot movie

I have NO idea why this movie has not well survived the critique process. I am an intelligent woman who finds this to be the best Nazi film I've ever seen - a great romance, a great thriller, and just a great movie all-around. In contrast to another reviewer, I found Melanie's performance here to be right on point and she was well-cast. As others mention, she's an interesting contrast, blonde and Jewish, sex appeal but survivor. Cannot believe it was selected as worst movie of 1992. My German is not as strong as the two other languages I speak, so maybe the accent is a mess, but is it really a deal-breaker for the film? Especially when it's a true story. Maybe Roger Ebert has it out for Melanie Griffith or Michael Caine, who knows, but I really encourage you to check this one out.