Shining Through [VHS]
Uncomfortably close to Ben Hecht and Alfred Hitchcock's filmNotorious, this World War II drama (based on a novel by Susan Isaacs) concerns a love affair between a spy (Michael Douglas) and a secretary (Melanie Griffith) that goes south when duty turns him cold and pushes her into dangerous, behind-the-lines intelligence work. Liam Neeson plays the gentleman Nazi unwittingly providing Griffith with cover as domestic help. The best parts of the film are the twists and turns in the romance (Douglas is very good at playing a character who can turn off all feeling at will) at the beginning, while the German scenes are less compelling despite such high stakes for the heroine. The climax--taking us back toNotoriouswhether it wants to or not--is quite gripping, largely due to Douglas's performance.--Tom Keogh