Shine (1996)

Director:

Scott Hicks

Writers:

Jan Sardi (screenplay)
Scott Hicks (story)

Release Date:

20 November 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

A true story of the mystery of music and the miracle of love

Plot:

Pianist David Helfgott, driven by his father and teachers, has a breakdown. Years later he returns to the piano, to popular if not critical acclaim.

Plot Keywords:

Pianist | Piano | Concert Hall | Abuse | Australia

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 38 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

Geoffrey Rush	...	David Helfgott - Adult
Justin Braine	...	Tony
Sonia Todd	...	Sylvia
Chris Haywood	...	Sam
Alex Rafalowicz	...	David Helfgott - Child
Gordon Poole	...	Eisteddfod Presenter
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Peter
Nicholas Bell	...	Ben Rosen
Danielle Cox	...	Suzie - Child
Rebecca Gooden	...	Margaret
Marta Kaczmarek	...	Rachel
John Cousins	...	Jim Minogue
Noah Taylor	...	David Helfgott - Adolescent
Paul Linkson	...	State Champion Announcer
Randall Berger	...	Isaac Stern

Also Known As:

Flight of the Bumblebee (Australia) (working title)
Helfgott (Australia) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for nudity/sensuality and intense thematic elements.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:18 (DVD rating) | Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34422) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:AL | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Adelaide Botanic Gardens & Park, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)

Trivia:

Geoffrey Rush had once learned the piano up until aged fourteen. He took up piano lessons again thirty years later for the film and also acted as his own hand double body double.

Goofs:

Continuity: The length of David Helfgott's cigarette when playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" at Moby's.

Quotes:

Cecil Parkes: No one's ever been mad enough to attempt the Rach Three.
David: Am I mad enough, professor? Am I?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: The Wrap Party (#1.6)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

La Campanella

A lovely film

Based on the true life story of David Helfgott. Starts with the early years under his possessive father's roof. We discover that this boy is truly a talent and child prodigy pianist with a great future once he builds up the courage to break free from his father, even, if not especially psychologically. Finally one Day he makes his way to London. He goes to further his mastering of the art at the royal college of music now in his late youth where he is attempting his long time dream Rachmaninov's Rach 5, which basically if you ask me sums up life itself and that is why the next thing you know is that he has suffered an intense break down. And it is truly with the help of God that the tables eventually turn, and the fact that no matter how cookoo he appears you cannot help but feel for how adorable he is really. And eventually he finds real love which gets him back on his feet again and leave from the petty bar where he found some work as a pianist again and got his recognition back and basically get back to the stage and the light in which he belongs and that is another story.