Different Slants

In Shining Through (1992), Melanie Griffith plays a different sort of ethnic role than she did in last week’s review (KCK, # 6) of A Stranger Among Us (1992).                          

In the first film, she portrayed an undercover cop pretending to be a returning member of a Jewish Hasid sect in New York City.  So…she was an actor pretending to be someone, who was also pretending to be someone else. 

Which by some eerie coincidence is exactly  what she does in the next film. 

In the second film, she’s a young woman in pre-World War II days, about 1940, living near the US Capital.  Her mother is Irish, this time, and her father is Jewish.  She also has Jewish cousins living a fragile existence in Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler.  Although she doesn’t assume any obvious or familiar ethnic stereo-typical mannerisms to establish that she’s a young East-Coast Jewish girl–which is a good thing to me–the filmmakers must have assumed that the audience would take it on faith that she was who she was supposed to be.

Melanie’s character also has an encyclopedic knowledge of all sorts of obscure movie plots from that post-Depression time and earlier, and that is a key element in the overall story.  All her clever ideas, ways of saving herself when in great danger and the way she chooses to complete the complex and perilous task she is entrusted to do, are derived from moments she’s remembered from the uncountable movies she’s seen.

Well, I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a mind like that, totally filled with memories of thousands of movies.  It seems like you’d have to be a Cyborg to retain all that minutia.  Pass the oil, please, Arnold…. 

   So, needing to find work, she applies for a government job with a dashing and mysterious man who seems to be impervious to all the adoring women around him.  He is evidently the classic “Man With A Higher Purpose” and can’t be distracted by mere sex.  In this case, that man is played by Michael Douglas, who in real life actually is Jewish (on his father’s side, by famed actor Kirk Douglas).  But not in this movie.  He is a heroic American-type in this movie, with no known emotions.  Except, eventually, and only when when absolutely necessary: Lust.

During the scene when Melanie first meets Douglas, there is a key moment that is both very impressive on her part, and also when she first shows her fiery don’t-mess-with-me side.  Of all the pretty, empty-headed girls who applied for the job that day, her stated defiance of his sexist request that she considers to be impertinent, gets her the job. 

In what might be an actual self-referential comment during Douglas’ interview scene with Melanie, when she mentions that her background is Jewish-Irish, he mutters under his breath, but audible to us, that that’s a “lethal combination.”  It would be interesting to know if his real-life mother is Irish, which is what I suspect is the case.  

 Both the dialog and the complicated twists and turns of the plot are really impressive and frequently moving.  Griffith may have a kewpie-doll face (look it up) and this sweet, lighter than air voice, but there’s fire in her eyes, which gives her credibility in a difficult and physically challenging role.  Her impressive figure is also right for the role, because her seductiveness matters both to Douglas, eventually, but also to the tall handsome Nazi officer (Liam Neeson, actually Irish) who is a widower with small children. 

She is deep inside war-time Germany, posing as a nanny from a certain class level, who works in the Nazi officer’s house, caring for his children, but at the same time, doing crucial espionage for the Unites States Government.   There are way too many details to try and convey them here, but her feistiness and her particular German linguistic background all play a part in her being initially selected for the job, in another great scene where Melanie’s character’s intelligence is once again a pivotal plot point.

There are some funny moments, but they are like a single black bird against a cloudy white sky in this movie which I find to be filled with passion, drama, tragedy, terror, double-crossing false friends, suspense, gunplay and sly feminine wit.

Melanie Griffith is irresistible, so don’t try.  Go find this movie on a CD somewhere and watch it with popcorn, while cuddled up next to someone you love, because Shining Through is a love story with great courage.

Passover comes on April 19th this year (unfortunately, the day before Hitler’s 119th birthday, April 2o, 1889) and Shining Through would make a great gift to give someone if you are invited to their house to celebrate the holiday.  It’s definitely not for kids, however.  But anyone who loves history and the movies would be very pleased to either see or receive a terrific crowd-pleasing movie like this one.

See you, under the Flickering Lights…

Robert M. Katzman

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 Note from the Author:

 

Robert M. Katzman, owner of Fighting Words Publishing Company, with four different titles currently in print and over 4,000 books sold to date, is seeking more retail outlets for his vivid and non-fiction inspirational books: 

 

Independent bookstores, Jewish and other religious organizations, Chicago historical societies or groups, English teachers who want a new voice in their class who was a witness to history, book clubs, high schools or museum gift shops.  I will support anyone who supports me by giving readings in the Chicago Metro area.  I have done this over 40 times, and I always sign my books, when asked.  Everyone, positively everyone, asks.  I was amazed, at first, by that.

 

Individuals who wish to order my books can view the four book covers and see reviews of them at www.FightingWordsPubco.com 

 

There are links to YouTube and podcasts, as well.  Or, anyone can call me directly at (847) 274-1474.  Googling my name will also produce all kinds of unusual results.  That other Robert M. Katzman, now deceased, whose name will also appear and who also published, was a doctor.  He actually bought one of my books!  Such a nice man.  Rest in peace, Dr. Katzman.

 

There will be short poems, stories and essays published in this space every two weeks by either myself or my co-blogist Richard G. Munden, or both.  If you find our postings thought provoking, moving or even amusing, please tell others to come view this site.  We will find our strength in your numbers.

 

 Next year, I will publish my fifth book, a collection of my best poetry and essays, called,

                                         

        I Seek the Praise of Ordinary Men

 

Individuals who know of independent bookstores that might be interested in a rough-hewn guy like me, who ran a chain of newsstands for 20 years in Chicago, please tell them about my books, will you?  I am partial to independent bookstores, having owned two, myself, until my last one was killed by the giant chains, in 1994. I still miss it. 

 

I’m also looking to find someone who would want to make a play out of some of my stories in the Chicago area, so I could go there and do some readings sometimes.  I think there’s enough honest sex, drugs and rock n’ roll to hold anyone’s interest, as well as a lot of authentic dialogue from ordinary people in extraordinary situations.  I think the plays would work anywhere, frankly, in some intimate theater with talented actors.