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 | behind enemy lines | jewish woman | jew | new york city | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Debra Winger screen tested for the role of Linda, but lost to Melanie Griffith.

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Goofs

From the very beginning of the war, Ed wears a Combat Infantryman Badge. It was created by the War Department on October 27, 1943.

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Quotes

Ed Leland: [she lights a cigarette] When did start smoking?
Linda Voss: I don't know.
Ed Leland: That was a silly thing to do, don't you think?
Linda Voss: I'm a silly girl. Ed. I think you're living proof of that.

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Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

(I've Got A Gal in) Kalamazoo
Written by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon

User Reviews

Great Romance!!

I loved this movie. I saw it for the first time when I was 21, and I've watched it several times a year ever since. Melanie Griffith gives one of the best performances of her career, and Michael Douglas is, of course, wonderful. Although this movie is presented as a action/drama set in WWII, the romantic story is what makes this movie so powerful. Griffith and Douglas have great, believable chemistry. The set decoration and cinematography are a throwback to the old 40's movies, which is ironic because those movies are mentioned throughout the film (Griffith's character is a huge fan of war movies that were shown at that time.) If you like great romantic stories with just enough action thrown in, watch this one. You will not be disappointed.

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

31 January 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shining Through

Filming Locations:

Hansaviertel, Tiergarten, Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,406,829, 2 February 1992

Gross USA:

$21,633,781

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,838,238

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:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1