SHINE 1996
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1997 Timothy Voon
Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, Lynn Redgrave, Googie Withers, John Gielgud, Sonia Todd, Alex Rafalowicz, Nicholas Bell Director: Scott Hicks Screenplay: Jan Sardi based on a story by Scott Hicks
"Practice makes perfect", my mother always told me, but did I listen to her? Stubborn to the very end, I remember defying her at age ten, standing in front of the piano and refusing to play my scales. Boy did I get a hiding that day, not so much for refusing to play the piano, but for calling the piano numerous degenerate names, and in the midst of the abuse including the much revered composers Chopin, Mozart and Bach. You will be relieved to hear that my appreciation for classical music has improved with time.
I was never a truly talented musician to begin with. My idea of piano playing was 'slam the keys, make some noise, forget about timing, and use those foot pedals for muscle toning'. So when faced with a talent like David Helfgott, one cannot help but be amazed at how a human soul can transform that hated instrument into the harp of the gods. Play, David, play.
My mother took piano playing pretty seriously, but I can say without a doubt David's father was obsessive. My one qualm with the movie is with him: 'I love you David (shove). I really do (hit). You know I love you David (whack). If you go David, I won't love you any more (punch). Did I hurt you David? (kick). Remember David, you will survive, life goes on.'
It isn't clearly explained in the movie whether David Helfgott's main psychiatric illness was schizophrenia, or a major depressive disorder. The viewers are left with a picture of a young David receiving electro-convulsive therapy to the brain, post playing 'Rachmaninov'. No particular event or reason is given, but one can only conclude that it was a combination of loneliness, the manipulative and emotional wranglings of his father, and that unusual spirit which is David Heffgot.
This is undoubtedly a moving tale of love of music, and survival of parent guilt. Painful to watch because of the destructive paternal instincts of David's father, who wished the best for his son, but also needed to bathe in his prodigy child's glory. So when the fledgling talent decides to spread his own wings, the control freak parent panics that he will lose his one claim to fame. Thus reacting in an un-fatherly manner which forever scars his child's life. A sensitive portrayal of David Helfgott by Geoffrey Rush and a well deserved Oscar.
So my tale ends with my brother and sister, who were not so disobedient as I, 'shining' at every local piano competition, winning every 'glittered' prize. Though I didn't quite get my opportunity to 'shine' as a child, at least I knew what I didn't want to do. So the child which was Tim Voon, enjoyed the rest of his youthful days, without that peculiar instrument in his life; and as for the beating my mother did give me, thank God it hasn't left me with rapid speech; and as David's father would say 'you will survive, life goes on' - without that damned finger-twitching, precise metronoming, endless scaling, piano.
Talent Feel Scale: 0% Clyderman / *HEFGOTT* / Amadeus 100%
Timothy Voon e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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