Eye of the Needle (1981)

A ruthless German spy, trying to get out of Britain with vital information about D-Day, must spend time with a young woman and her crippled husband.

Director:

Richard Marquand

Writers:

Ken Follett (based on the novel by), Stanley Mann (screenplay)

Stars:

Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Stephen MacKenna

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald Sutherland	...	Faber
Stephen MacKenna	...	Lieutenant
Philip Martin Brown	...	Billy Parkin
Kate Nelligan	...	Lucy
Christopher Cazenove	...	David
George Belbin	...	Lucy's Father
Faith Brook	...	Lucy's Mother
Barbara Graley	...	David's Mother
George Lee	...	Constable
Arthur Lovegrove	...	Peterson
Colin Rix	...	Oliphant
Barbara Ewing	...	Mrs. Garden
Chris Jenkinson	...	German SS Officer
William Merrow	...	German Radio Operator
Patrick Connor	...	Inspector Harris

Storyline

A German spy carrying information that will reveal the target of Operation Overlord becomes involved with the wife of a crippled man on an isolated island off the Scottish coast while he waits to be picked up.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | german | woman | love | u boat | 

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Taglines:

To love a stranger is easy... To kill a lover is not.

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Genres:

Romance | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

24 July 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

El ojo de la aguja

Filming Locations:

Blackbush Airport, Hampshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$17,583,634

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kings Road Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was made and released about three years after its source novel of the same name by author Ken Follett had been first published in 1978. The novel was Follett's first best-seller, with over three million copies sold prior to the production of this movie. The novel was first published in 1978 and the Mystery Writers of America awarded it the 1979 Edgar Award. The novel was originally entitled with the working title of "Storm Island", the setting of which represents the second half of both the novel and the film.

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Goofs

When David & Lucy's MG TA goes off the road an incendiary/smoke effect is already burning/smoking where the car is about to crash to the ground.

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Quotes

Faber: The war has come down to the two of us.

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Alternate Versions

NTSC DVD R1 and PAL DVD R2, have different endings. European PAL DVD version ending is approx. 1.5 minutes longer. In the last scene, the helicopter arrives and lands, there is a conversation with the commander about the radio transmission being interrupted and finally the child arrives and reunites with his mother. it's sort of a happy end. This ending was cut from NTSC DVD version.

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Connections

Referenced in Empire of Dreams: The Story of the 'Star Wars' Trilogy (2004)

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Soundtracks

Roses and Moonlight
(uncredited)
Music by Alan Moorhouse
KPM Music Ltd

User Reviews

Pretty and romantic WWII spy thriller

I am satisfied with EYE OF THE NEEDLE. There are many plots and twists without great special effects or action. Anyway, the film shows a spy story set in the second World War and that is well directed. The picture and camera work is not as perfect as in today's big blockbusters but it doesn't shock because it is well compensated with historical details and facts from that war time. It's interesting seeing Donald Sutherland in this role as a lover and villain. He is for me one of the great actors that made many enjoyable thrillers. All in all a watchable movie that has a better class than these disappointing thrillers of nowadays and once again a DVD from the house of MGM that works for an entertaining Saturday evening. My wife and me vote 7/10 that matches exactly the actual vote of 7/10.