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Shine (1996)
Taglines:
- A father whose life was his family. A son whose music was his life.
- A true story of the mystery of music and the miracle of love.
In "Shine," director Scott Hicks and writer Jan Sardi unfold an unconventional biopic about how a brilliant young pianist is driven to the edge of madness by his monstrously protective father and, as an adult, finds unexpected redemption thanks to an astonishingly understanding woman. Pic opens dramatically with the deranged, manically voluble David, played as an adult by Geoffrey Rush, stumbling into a restaurant during a violent rainstorm and befriending a waitress (Sonia Todd). Flashbacks depict David as a boy (Alex Rafalowicz) in the '50s, already a child prodigy, and the pride and joy of his demanding father, Peter Helfgott (Mueller-Stahl), a Polish Jew whose family was wiped out in the Holocaust.
Like the most ambitious stage parent, Peter drives his son to achieve greatness as a pianist, but is too proud, and too poor, to give him the tuition he clearly needs until persuaded to place him in the hands of the first of four mentors, music teacher Ben Rosen (Nicholas Bell).
Traditionalist Peter distrusts Rosen because he's unmarried and therefore lacks a family life; though he obviously adores his son, the father's stiff-necked, rigid authoritarianism gradually alienates and eventually terrifies the sensitive boy. When David wins a local competition and is awarded his prize by no less than Isaac Stern, he receives an offer to study in America, which his father promptly vetoes.
As an increasingly eccentric teenager, now played by Noah Taylor, David is befriended by an elderly writer, Katharine Prichard (Googie Withers, delightful). With her encouragement, he wins a scholarship to study at the London College of Music; again, his father refuses to allow him to leave Australia. This time, David defies him.
Under the tutelage of Professor Cecil Parkes (a lovely performance from 91 -year-old Gielgud), David blossoms and is able to perform a supremely difficult concerto by Rachmaninoff. But, at the moment of his triumph, he collapses onstage and, rejected by his father, spends 15 years in a psychiatric hospital, undergoing shock treatment and unable to play his beloved piano.
The last act of this extraordinary bio intros Gillian (Redgrave), a middle-aged astrologer and divorcee who meets David by chance and eventually marries him, giving him the support and encouragement he needs to resume his concert career. [source: David Stratton, variety.com]
Directed by
Scott Hicks
Cast:
Geoffrey Rush | .... | David as an Adult | |
Justin Braine | .... | Tony | |
Sonia Todd | .... | Sylvia | |
Chris Haywood | .... | Sam | |
Alex Rafalowicz | .... | David as a Child | |
Gordon Poole | .... | Eisteddfod Presenter | |
Armin Mueller-Stahl | .... | Peter | |
Nicholas Bell | .... | Ben Rosen | |
Danielle Cox | .... | Suzie as a child | |
Rebecca Gooden | .... | Margaret | |
Marta Kaczmarek | .... | Rachel | |
John Cousins | .... | Jim Minogue | |
Noah Taylor | .... | David as an Adolescent | |
Paul Linkson | .... | State Champion Announcer | |
Randall Berger | .... | Isaac Stern | |
Ian Welbourne | .... | Boy Next Door | |
Kelly Bottrill | .... | Louise as a baby | |
Beverley Vaughan | .... | Rabbi | |
Phyllis Burford | .... | Synagogue Secretary | |
Daphne Grey | .... | Society Hostess | |
Edwin Hodgeman | .... | Soviet Society Secretary | |
Googie Withers | .... | Katharine Susannah Prichard | |
Maria Dafnero | .... | Sonia | |
Reis Porter | .... | Postman | |
Stephen Sheehan | .... | Roger Woodward (younger) | |
Brenton Whittle | .... | Announcer | |
Marianna Doherty | .... | Suzie as a teenager | |
Camilla James | .... | Louise as a child | |
John Gielgud | .... | Cecil Parkes | |
David King | .... | Viney | |
Danny Davies | .... | Registrar | |
Helen Dowell | .... | Sarah | |
Louise Dorling | .... | Muriel | |
Sean Carlsen | .... | Student | |
Richard Hansell | .... | Ashley | |
Robert Hands | .... | Robert | |
Marc Warren | .... | Ray | |
Neil Thomson | .... | RCOM Conductor | |
Joey Kennedy | .... | Suzie as an adult | |
Ellen Cressey | .... | Nurse | |
Beverley Dunn | .... | Beryl Ascott | |
Andy Seymour | .... | Bar Customer | |
Lynn Redgrave | .... | Gillian | |
Ella Scott Lynch | .... | Jessica | |
Jethro Heysen-Hicks | .... | Rowan | |
John Martin | .... | Roger Woodward (older) | |
Bill Boyley | .... | Celebrant | |
Teresa La Rocca | .... | Opera singer | |
Lindsey Day | .... | Opera singer | |
Grant Doyle | .... | Opera singer | |
Leah Jennings | .... | Musician | |
Kathy Monaghan | .... | Musician | |
Mark Lawrence | .... | Musician | |
Gordon Coombes | .... | Musician | |
Luke Dollman | .... | Musician | |
Margaret Stone | .... | Musician | |
Tom Carrig | .... | Musician | |
Helen Ayres | .... | Musician | |
Suzi Jarratt | .... | Vocalist | |
Samantha McDonald | .... | Vocalist | |
rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Sandy Gardiner | .... | Restaurant Customer (uncredited) | |
Peter Osborn | .... | Priest (uncredited) | |
Louise Siversen | .... | Extra in ballroom scene (uncredited) |