# Shine (film)

Shine is a 1996 Australian biographical psychological drama film directed by Scott Hicks from a screenplay by Jan Sardi, based on the life of David Helfgott, a pianist who suffered a mental breakdown and spent years in institutions. The film stars Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, Geoffrey Rush, Lynn Redgrave, Googie Withers, Sonia Todd and John Gielgud.
Shine had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 1996, followed by a theatrical release in Australia on August 15. At the 69th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for seven awards including Best Picture, with Rush winning Best Actor.

## Plot

A man wanders through a heavy rainstorm, finding his way into a nearby restaurant. The restaurant's employees try to determine if he needs help. Despite his manic mode of speech being difficult to understand, a waitress, Sylvia, learns that his name is David Helfgott and that he is staying at a local hotel. Sylvia returns him to the hotel, and despite his attempts to impress her with his musical knowledge and ownership of various musical scores, she leaves.
As a child, David is growing up in suburban Adelaide, South Australia, and competing in the musical competition of a local Eisteddfod. Helfgott has been taught to play by his father, Peter, who is obsessed with winning and has no tolerance for imperfection, dishonour and disobedience. While playing at the Eisteddfod, David is noticed by Mr. Rosen, a local piano teacher who, after initial resistance from Peter, takes over David's musical instruction.
As a teenager, David wins the state musical championship and is invited by concert violinist Isaac Stern to study in the United States. Plans are made to raise money to send David off to America. Initially, his family is supportive, but then Peter forbids David to leave, thinking his absence would destroy the family. Peter begins physically and mentally abusing David, which upsets the rest of the family.
Crushed, David continues to study and befriends local novelist and co-founder of the Communist Party of Australia, Katharine Susannah Prichard. David is eventually offered a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London. This time, David is able to break away from his father with the encouragement of Katharine. However, his father issues an ultimatum, effectively banishing David and saying that David will never return home and never be anybody's son.
In London, David studies under Dr. Cecil Parkes and enters a music competition, choosing to play Sergei Rachmaninoff's demanding 3rd Piano Concerto, a piece he had attempted to learn as a young child to make his father proud.
As David practices, he shows signs of mental stress. David wins the competition, but suffers a mental breakdown and is admitted to a psychiatric hospital where he receives electroshock therapy. David recovers to the point where he is able to return to Adelaide. However, his attempts to reconcile with his father are rebuffed due to the latter's belief that David had abandoned his family. This causes David to relapse and he is readmitted to a mental institution.
Years later, a volunteer at the institution recognises David and knows of his musical talent. The woman takes him home but discovers that he is difficult to control, unintentionally destructive, and needs more care than she can offer. As time passes, David has difficulty adjusting to life in broader society again, and often leaves the hotel to stimulate his interests.
The next day, David returns to the restaurant where the patrons are astounded by his skill at the piano. One of the owners befriends David and looks after him. In return, David plays at the restaurant. Through the owner, David is introduced to an employee named Gillian. David and Gillian soon fall in love and marry. With Gillian's help and support, David is able to come to terms with his father's death and to stage a well-received comeback concert, presaging his return to professional music.

## Cast

* Geoffrey Rush as David Helfgott
** Alex Rafalowicz as young David Helfgott
** Noah Taylor as teenage David Helfgott
* Justin Braine as Tony
* Sonia Todd as Sylvia
* Chris Haywood as Sam
* Gordon Poole as Eisteddfod presenter
* Armin Mueller-Stahl as Peter
* Nicholas Bell as Ben Rosen
* Danielle Cox as Suzie
* Rebecca Gooden as Margaret
* Marta Kaczmarek as Rachel
* John Cousins as Jim Minogue
* Randall Berger as Isaac Stern
* Googie Withers as Katharine Susannah Prichard
* John Gielgud as Cecil Parkes
* David King as Viney
* Robert Hands as Robert
* Marc Warren as Ray
* Neil Thomson as RCOM conductor
* Joey Kennedy as Suzie (adult)
* Beverley Dunn as Beryl Alcott
* Lynn Redgrave as Gillian
* Ella Scott Lynch as Jessica
* John Martin as Roger Woodward (older)
* Stephen Sheehan as Roger Woodward (younger)
* Louise Siversen as Extra in ballroom scene

## Production

Scott Hicks decided to make a film about David Helfgott after seeing him perform in Adelaide in 1985. It took a year for Hicks to persuade Helfgott and his wife Gillian, persevering "because he was so inspired by the pianist’s story."
Hicks brought on friend and colleague John MacGregor to help with research and interviewing Helfgott’s friends, family, and teachers. Jan Sardi, who had been a script editor on Hicks’ previous feature, Sebastian and the Sparrow, was also brought on to work on the final draft of the script, which had materialized by the early 1990s. During the scripting stage, Ronin Films signed on as the Australasian distributor for the film.
Hicks met with Geoffrey Rush in 1992, having been familiar with his work in Adelaide theatre. "He was mesmerising on stage and he had the physiognomy, and physiology and the hands to play David," said Hicks. However, Hicks faced resistance from investors in his decision to cast Rush, who was then a theatre actor with no major projects to his name. A crucial deal in the film getting made was Pandora Cinema’s acquisition of the international and U.S. distribution rights. "The difference there was the person we were dealing with had seen Geoffrey Rush on stage in Sydney and so knew what I was talking about when I said this actor is extraordinary," Hicks said.
Geoffrey Rush resumed piano lessons—suspended when he was 14—in order not to require a hand double.

## Release

Shine grossed $35,892,330 in the United States and Canada. The film also grossed $10,187,418 at the box office in Australia.

### Home media

Roadshow Entertainment released the film on VHS on 4 July 1997, and on DVD on 18 November 1997. Umbrella Entertainment released the film on the 20th anniversary DVD on 5 May 2015.

## Reception

Shine was met with acclaim from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 91% approval rating based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The critical consensus states, "featuring a strong performance from Geoffrey Rush, Shine succeeds in telling a compelling, inspirational story without resorting to cheap sentimentality". On Metacritic, the film holds an 87 rating out of a possible 100 from 27 critic reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Critic Roger Ebert rated the film four out of four stars, stating "There has been much talk in 1996 about films whose filmmakers claim they were based on true stories but were kidding (Fargo), and films whose filmmakers claimed they were based on true stories but might have been lying (Sleepers). Here is a movie that is based on the truth beneath a true story."

### Accolades

| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Jane Scott | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Director | Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Armin Mueller-Stahl | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen | Screenplay by Jan Sardi; Story by Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Film Editing | Pip Karmel | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Original Dramatic Score | David Hirschfelder | Nominated |
| American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Feature Film | Pip Karmel | Nominated |
| Art Film Festival Awards | Art Fiction: Best Director | Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Film | Jane Scott | Won |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Direction | Scott Hicks | Won |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Noah Taylor | Nominated |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Screenplay, Original | Jan Sardi | Won |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Achievement in Cinematography | Geoffrey Simpson | Won |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Achievement in Costume Design | Louise Wakefield | Nominated |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Achievement in Editing | Pip Karmel | Won |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Original Music Score | David Hirshfelder | Won |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Achievement in Production Design | Vicki Niehus | Nominated |
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Achievement in Sound | Toivo Lember, Roger Savage, Livia Ruzic, and Gareth Vanderhope | Won |
| Australian Performing Rights Association Awards | Best Film Score | David Hirschfelder | Won |
| Australian Writers Guild Awards | Feature Film – Original | Jan Sardi | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Jane Scott and Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Direction | Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | John Gielgud | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Lynn Redgrave | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Screenplay – Original | Jan Sardi | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Editing | Pip Karmel | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Original Music | David Hirschfelder | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Sound | Jim Greenhorn, Toivo Lember, Livia Ruzic, Roger Savage, and Gareth Vanderhope | Won |
| Camerimage Awards | Golden Frog | Geoffrey Simpson | Nominated |
| Camerimage Awards | Bronze Frog | Geoffrey Simpson | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Most Promising Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Nominated |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Actor | Noah Taylor | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Fantasporto Awards | Best Director | Scott Hicks | Won |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Won |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Actor – Male | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Male | Noah Taylor | Won |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival | Best Film (Jury Award) | Scott Hicks | Won |
| Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival | Best Actor (President Award) | Noah Taylor | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Director – Motion Picture | Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Jan Sardi | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Original Score – Motion Picture | David Hirschfelder | Nominated |
| Hawaii International Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Scott Hicks | Won |
| Humanitas Prize | Feature Film Category | Screenplay by Jan Sardi; Story by Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Japan Academy Film Prize | Outstanding Foreign Language Film | Outstanding Foreign Language Film | Nominated |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | Actor of the Year | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Armin Mueller-Stahl | Runner-up |
| National Board of Review Awards | Best film | Best film | Won |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | Top Ten Films | Won |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | 3rd Place |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Picture | Jane Scott | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Drama Picture | Jane Scott | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Director | Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Drama Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen | Jan Sardi | Nominated |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Score | David Hirschfelder | Nominated |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | Jane Scott | Nominated |
| Rotterdam International Film Festival Awards | Audience Award | Scott Hicks | Won |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Armin Mueller-Stahl | Won |
| Satellite Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Director | Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Armin Mueller-Stahl | Won |
| Satellite Awards | Best Screenplay – Original | Jan Sardi | Nominated |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | John Gielgud, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Lynn Redgrave, Geoffrey Rush, Noah Taylor, and Googie Withers | Nominated |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role | Noah Taylor | Nominated |
| Society of Texas Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | 6th Place |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Runner-up |
| St. Louis International Film Festival | Audience Choice Award | Scott Hicks | Won |
| Toronto International Film Festival | People's Choice Award | Scott Hicks | Won |
| Toronto International Film Festival | Metro Media Award | Scott Hicks | Won |
| Turkish Film Critics Association Awards | Best Foreign Film | Best Foreign Film | 15th Place |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen | Screenplay by Jan Sardi; Story by Scott Hicks | Nominated |
| Yoga Awards | Worst Foreign Actor | Geoffrey Rush | Won |

## Soundtrack

* "With a Girl Like You" (Reg Presley) – The Troggs
* "Why Do They Doubt Our Love" written & perf by Johnny O'Keefe
* Polonaise in A flat major, Op. 53 (Frédéric Chopin) – Ricky Edwards
* "Fast zu Ernst" – Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15 (Robert Schumann) – Wilhelm Kempff
* La Campanella (Franz Liszt) – David Helfgott
* Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C sharp minor (Liszt) – David Helfgott
* "The Flight of the Bumble Bee" (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov) – David Helfgott
* Gloria, RV 589 (Antonio Vivaldi)
* "Un sospiro" (Liszt) – David Helfgott
* "Nulla in mundo pax sincera" Vivaldi – Jane Edwards (vocals), Geoffrey Lancaster (harpsichord), Gerald Keuneman (cello)
* "Daisy Bell" (Harry Dacre) – Ricky Edwards
* "Funiculi, Funicula" (Luigi Denza)
* Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 (Sergei Rachmaninoff) – David Helfgott
* Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2 (Rachmaninoff) – David Helfgott
* Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 (Ludwig van Beethoven)
* Sonata No. 23 in F minor, "Appassionata", Op. 57 (Beethoven) – Ricky Edwards
* Prelude in D flat major, "Raindrop", Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)

### Charts

| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
| Australian Albums (ARIA Charts) | 14 |

### Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Australia (ARIA) | Gold | 35,000$^^$ |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||

## Historical accuracy

Some family members have stated that certain events and relationships in David Helfgott's life are portrayed inaccurately in the film. Helfgott's sister Margaret Helfgott, in her book Out of Tune, states that Helfgott's father Peter Helfgott was a loving husband, over-lenient parent and not the abusive tyrant portrayed in Shine. She states that Peter Helfgott's decision to prevent David from going overseas at the age of 14 was a reasonable judgment that he was not ready for such independence.
Margaret and Les Helfgott (David's brother) have stated that "there was no estrangement from members of David's family following his return to Australia. On the contrary, he moved straight back into the family home, and was cared for by our family. Dad was not 'overbearing', and his main objection to David's going abroad was his concern for his son's welfare."
Les Helgott has described the portrayal of their father both in Shine and in Gillian Helfgott's biography as "all outright lies". David Helfgott's first wife Clare Papp has also said that Peter Helfgott was "quite badly maligned" in the film. Helfgott's mother said the film haunted her and that she felt "an evil had been done".
Scott Hicks has defended the authenticity of the movie's portrayal of Helfgott's childhood and suggested that David's other siblings, Susie and Les, were at odds with Margaret's claims and were happy with the movie. John Macgregor—who was involved in the research and wrote an early treatment for Shine—claimed that the portrayal of the Helfgotts' father was supported not only by David but (with the exception of Margaret) by every family member and family friend he and Scott Hicks interviewed, as well as by every interviewee who had a professional or musical connection with David throughout his early life.

### Pianistic ability

The New Zealand philosopher Denis Dutton claims that the film grossly exaggerates Helfgott's pianistic ability, drawing public attention away from pianists who are more talented and disciplined.