Shining Through (1992)

36% of critics liked it
(14 reviews)
70% of users liked it
(5,283 ratings)

Kewpie-doll voiced Melanie Griffith does a sexed-up Nancy Drew turn in David Seltzer's adaptation of Susan Issacs' novel Shining Through. Set during World war II, Griffith plays Linda Voss, a spunky New York girl who applies for a job with international lawyer Ed Leland (Michael Douglas). Ed hires… More Kewpie-doll voiced Melanie Griffith does a sexed-up Nancy Drew turn in David Seltzer's adaptation of Susan Issacs' novel Shining Through. Set during World war II, Griffith plays Linda Voss, a spunky New York girl who applies for a job with international lawyer Ed Leland (Michael Douglas). Ed hires her immediately when he finds out that she speaks German fluently. The reason Ed is so interested in Linda's language skills is because Ed is an undercover OSS officer who needs a German translator. Their business relationship translates into love, but when America enters the war, Ed abandons his law practice to become a full-time spy. Utilizing Linda's charms, she travels to Berlin and infiltrates the Nazis as a domestic to try to discover information about "a bomb that can fly by itself." But Linda has personal as well as patriotic motives for agreeing to go undercover, since she has Jewish relatives in Berlin and wants to find out their whereabouts. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 13 min.
Directed By: David Seltzer
Written By: David Seltzer
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Romance, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Jan 31, 1992 Wide
On DVD: Jan 11, 2005
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Pete Croatto, Filmcritic.com
fails as an espionage thriller, but also as a romance
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Griffith as an American spy posing as a German during WWII. Gimme a break!!!
Clint Morris, Moviehole
The word 'bore' comes to mind

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Dean M

This war-drama of the Forties with Michael Douglas and Melanie Griffiths is so clever and effective homeage.
Red L

If you don't think too much, its a good movie. Melanie Griffith spying for the Americans as a German domestic even though her story about her background doesn't hold up. Michael Douglas as a spy who doesn't speak any German. Surely the Germans were not that stupid.
jay n

could have been a good film with a little polish and different actors in the leads
Leo L

Great movie.

Cast

            Michael Douglas as Ed Leland

            Melanie Griffith as Linda Voss

            Liam Neeson as Franze-Otto Dietrich

            Joely Richardson as Margrete Von Eberstien

            John Gielgud as Sunflower

            Francis V. Guinan Jr. as Andrew Berringer

            Patrick Winczewski as Fishmonger

            Sheila Allen as Olga Leiner

            Stanley Beard as Linda's Father

            Jay Benedict as Wisecracker in War Room

            Andrzej Borkowski as German Refugee

            Mathieu Carriere as Von Haefler

            Simon de Deney as S.S. Man

            Fritz Eggert as German Soldier

            Constanze Engelbrecht as Stayson Von Neest

            Peter Flechtner as S.S. Officer at Fishmonger

            John Forristal
            
            Rob Freeman as 2nd GI in Canteen

            Michael Gempart as Man at Kinderstrasse

            Dana Gladstone as Street Agitator

            Ludwig Haas as Adolf Hitler

            Deirdre Harrison as USO Singer

            Alexander Hauff as S.S. Officer at Fishmonger

            Wolfgang Heger as Bus Conductor Kinderstrasse

            William Hope as Kernohan

            Martin Hoppe as German Soldier

            Hansi Jochmann as Hedda Drescher

            Wolf Kahler as Border Commandant

            Lorelei King as Leland's New Secretary

            Markus Kissling as Swiss Border Guard

            Thomas Kretschmann as Man at Zurich Station

            Janis Martin as Opera Singer

            Wolfe Morris as Male Translator

            Klaus Munster as Cab Driver

            Markus Napier as S.S. Officer

            Roland Nitschke as Horst Drescher

            Lisa Orgolini as Girl in Canteen

            Claus Plankers as S.S. Officer at Fishmonger

            Hana-Maria Pravda as Babysitter

            Suzanne Roquette as Woman Dinner Guest at Drescher's

            Victoria Shalet as Dietrich's Daughter

            Tusse Silberg as Woman Dinner Guest at Drescher's

            Sylvia Syms as Linda's Mother

            Hans Martin Stier as Truck Driver

            Anna Tzelniker as Cleaning Woman

            Clement von Franckenstein as BBC Interviewer

            Lorinne Vozoff as Personnel Director

            Anthony Walters as Dietrich's Son

            Lutz Weillich as Train Station Guard

            Nigel Whitmey as 1st GI in Canteen

            Simone Reynolds
            
            Barbara Cohen
            
            Mary Gail Artz
            
See full cast