SHINE

Australia, 1996, 105 minutes, Colour.
Geoffrey Rush, Noah Taylor, Armin Mueller- Stahl, Lynn Redgrave, John Gielgud, Googie Withers.
Directed by Scott Hicks.

Shine is both interesting and entertaining and can be recommended for a wide audience.

The title does not indicate much, but Shine is based on the life of pianist, David Helfgott, born in the late 40s to Jewish migrants. He was a child prodigy but his father's intense domination of his son drove David to madness. (His father had survived a concentration camp.) After many years in an institution, he resumed a musical career. This is only part of the film's interest. David Helfgott is portrayed with enormous skill by Noah Taylor and, later, Geoffrey Rush in his Oscar-winning performance. Shine was nominated for Oscars for Best Film and Best Director. It won nine Australian Film Institute awards.

What makes the film distinctive is its Jewish background. We do not have many Australian films with Jewish themes.

David's father is a secular Jew who is contemptuous of religion and the soul. Music and his family are what he worships. But, to raise funds for his son's overseas study, he does permit him to study the scriptures and experience his Bar Mitzvah. David points out, ironically, that his name means God's help.

If ever there was a film about a parent living through his child, this is it. Armin Mueller Stuhl makes Peter Helfgott a man of such intense passion and, in the name of doing everything for his son, of such self-centredness that it is often painful and frightening to watch what he does and the effect on his son. Once again, as in 1995 and 1996 films, Angel Baby, Cosi, Lilian's Story, we are shown portraits of Australian madness, institutions and asked what is really `normal'.

Audiences the world over were moved by the story and the music. They have also said that Shine is uplifting. It is an experience of the resilience of human nature, of the creativity of the human spirit, of oppression but also of generosity and care.


1. The significance of the title? David Helfgott and his shining?

2. The acclaim for the film world-wide? Awards? Its touching audiences world-wide with universal themes?

3. A picture of the human spirit, a true story and an interpretation of a life?

4. The re-creation of the '40s and '50s, the Australian suburbs, houses and yards, streets? The eisteddfod halls? Homes? The contrast with the '60s and London, the College of Music, flats, Trafalgar Square, concert halls? The contrast with the '70s, the asylum, its grounds, the baths and other rooms for treatment? The contrast with the '80s and the flat, the parks, homes, restaurants, the concert hall, the cemetery? A cumulative effect of Australia over several decades?

5. The contribution of the musical score, the background themes? The use of classics and their reference to David's life: Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov?, Mozart etc?

6. The structure of the film: the opening with the profile of David in the rain, his babble, Sylvia and the others in the restaurant, Sylvia's help? The transition to David and his flat and his lying in the foetal position? The later taking up of the opening sequence in the light of the flashbacks? The gradual dramatic building from the flashbacks to an understanding of David in the present?

7. The initial impact of David, his appearance, the rain, his quick and babbling speech, the verbal and mental associations? The puzzle about his background? His discussions in the car with Sylvia about his name, the help of God, the atheism of his father, the denial of soul, eternity and being punished for eternity? The continued impact of his father?

8. The transition in flashback to the first competition, the slow-motion walk through the hall? His father answering questions for him? His age, experience, appearance? His playing of Chopin - and the moving of the piano? His father's angry reaction? Rosen and his interest in David? The father and son walking home, the girls on the lookout, judging that he did not win? Peter Helfgott and the ethos of winning and the repetition of this saying? Playing chess with his son, listening to the music and silencing him? Rosen's arrival, the discussion, Peter insisting that he was the tutor, shutting the door in Rosen's face? Taking his son's prize but seeing it as a prize for losing?

9. The portrait of the Helfgott family? The background of the concentration camps and survival? Peter's father and his picture on the wall, the desperate story of his saving the money and buying the violin and his father smashing it? Peter's wife and her silence, doing the housework, looking quietly from the windows? The girls and their playfulness - and their father preventing them from having visitors? The young baby? An atmosphere of fear? The boy visiting Margaret and Peter nailing the fence? The strong ethos of family, Peter not wanting to lose his family again? Establishing it safely in Australia?

10. The character of Peter Helfgott, the background of his life, migration, a strong man? Egocentric, referring all stories to himself? Teaching his son, loving his son, making him repeat that he was a lucky boy? The ethos of winning, reaction to the prize? His philosophy that music would be the only friend that would not let him down during life? His relationship with his wife? The violin story? His attitude towards Rosen - as not married and not a family man and therefore not to be trusted?

11. David as a character, intimidated by his father, a prodigy, trying to please, eventually being taken to Rosen to study? His learning the Rachmaninoff from the disc - his abilities but his need for training?

12. The transition to David at 14, his idiosyncratic manner, winning competitions, the speech of Isaac Stern? His father shouting that he must give all to music? The possibility of going to America? Mr Rosen and the raising of the money? Issues of religion - Peter Helfgott's despising of religion? The secular Jew in Australia? The decision about the bar mitzvah, David's training, Peter waiting, taking off the yamulka, the ceremony and his standing, his mother and the girls in the gallery? The collecting of bottles in the street to raise money? The socialist association, David playing the piano, talking to the girl - and his father's hostility? Meeting Katharine Susannah Pritchard and the talk of her piano? Peter and his return home and his scorning of the socialites? His playing with his children - making them punch his belly and continually highlighting how strong a man he was?

13. Katharine Susannah Pritchard as novelist, her friendship with David, the piano, telling stories, comfortably together? The photo - and David's receiving the photo and the tapes and letters after her death?

14. Mr Rosen, his ability with music, his interest in David, the reaction to Peter, training him, watching Peter at competitions, David's losses? His later presence at the concert and his applause?

15. Peter Helfgott not wanting David to go to the US, the arrival of the letter and the reading it, the children playing, Peter burning the letter? David and his going into the bath and dirtying the water, his father's reaction and the brutal beating? The love-hate relationship, Peter telling his son not to hate him? Peter holding his son in the bed? His emphasis on his love, support, making him all that he was? The finals and Roger Woodward winning - and David standing in the shadows? Peter walking out?

16. The issue of going to London, the letter with the scholarship, Katharine Susannah Pritchard's supportive response? Showing the letter to his father, wanting to go, his father beating him to the floor and the family intervening? His leaving the house, his father asking him not to make him expel him from the family? His father burning the cuttings?

17. London, the Royal College of Music, Cecil Parkes and his friend discussing David's genius - yet David's appearance, the long hair, awkwardness, the papers blowing all over the street? David as wanting to be agreeable to Mr Parkes? The method of teaching, Parkes and his bad arm, the discussions about the Rachmaninoff III, the training, learning the notes, then the spirit and the emotion? The bond between teacher and student? The cast of Rachmaninoff's hand and Parkes remembering his performance and Rachmaninoff's praise? The joy at David's performance?

18. David in London, his deterioration, appearance, losing the pages, dealings with his landlady - and getting the parcel without his trousers on, sending the tapes to Catherine Susannah Pritchard, his father's returned letters, her death and the parcel? His money, friends, drinking, at the club, in the water at the fountain at Trafalgar Square?

19. His performance of the Rachmaninoff III, his father listening on the radio? The visual techniques and sound techniques for the performance, the close-ups, the intensity of the performance, his not hearing the notes, the final triumph, his collapse, the close-up on his glazed eye? The shock treatment? His telephone call to his father that he was home, his father putting the phone down?

20. The years in the institution? His ageing, manner, mind, verbal associations? His manner of walking? Treatments and the baths? The inmates dancing? Not allowed near a piano? Susan's visit and her talk of Margaret in Israel? His witty babble? No word from his father?

21. The encounter with Beryl, her discovering who he was? Her taking him out, setting him up in the flat, the bath and the mess, having to take him to a new flat? His turning the pages in the church - and fondling her? His playing the piano again and its effect on him? The state of his room, the landlord locking the piano, his trying to pick the lock? Being advised to jog - sitting in the park, following the joggers, getting wet and arriving at the restaurant?

22. Sylvia and her kindness, the owner and his disdain, the taunt for him to play the piano? Playing The Flight of the Bumblebee and his success? Their building up a clientele? His enjoying the performance, his affectionate greeting of the patrons? His father reading about him in the newspaper, going to visit him, putting the medal on his neck, talk, wanting to tell the violin story but David saying he didn't know it, the effect of his father's presence? The empty doorway and his father walking across the street?

23. Sylvia and her support of David, taking him home, a touch of the madhouse, the water flooding, jumping on the trampoline without clothes but a coat? Gillian and her arrival, his affectionate response to her? Gillian and the encounters at the restaurant, discussions, talking about the stars? Her going upstairs and discussing the letter to Cecil Parkes and helping him write it? The bond, watching him swim in the surf, her departure and his sudden proposal?

24. Gillian and her friendship with Sylvia, the discussion about the engagement, the horoscopes? The effect of the proposal on Gillian, the return to Sydney, studying the charts? Her engagement ring? The decision to marry? The joy of the ceremony - and David's mother present? Setting up a married life, the bonds between Gillian and David? Going to the Roger Woodward concert?

25. The build-up to his own concert, his swimming, the pages in the pool, drying the pages, getting him dressed, odd shoes? His performance and the exhilaration, the response of those present?

26. The visit with Gillian to his father's grave, the reflection on life, the influence of his father? Saying that his father was not here but that he was here and going on with his life - his father and the memory of his words about survival?

27. A film about family, father-son relationships, intensity of love, destructive love, love and tragedy, living one's life through others? Destruction and survival? Madness and sanity? Creativity and hope?