7.1/10
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Eye of the Needle (1981)

R | | Romance, Thriller, War | 24 July 1981 (USA)
Eye of the Needle Poster
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:

Writers:

(based on the novel by), (screenplay)

Stars:

, , | See full cast & crew »
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1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... Faber
... Lieutenant
... Billy Parkin
... Lucy
... David
George Belbin ... Lucy's Father
... 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
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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. Written by Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

spy | german | woman | love | u boat | See All (89) »

Taglines:

Codename: "The Needle". Only one person can stop him: The woman who loves him ! See more »

Genres:

Romance | Thriller | War

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

24 July 1981 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

El ojo de la aguja  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Gross USA:

$17,583,634
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(archive footage)| (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

One of three films in five years where Donald Sutherland played a German character who was either a Nazi or son of a Nazi. The movies are Bear Island (1979), Eye of the Needle (1981) and The Eagle Has Landed (1976). See more »

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. See more »

Quotes

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

Connections

Referenced in A Night at the Movies: The Suspenseful World of Thrillers (2009) See more »

Soundtracks

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

Gripping stuff
21 July 2002 | by – See all my reviews

This film really does deserve more merit than it seems to get.

Sutherland is a bit odd, with most of all a bizarre accent that almost seems to change from scene to scene. Whilst this is perhaps expected from an international spy in deep cover, it doesn't seem to sit well.

Nelligan steals the show with a wonderful performance, but the real surprise for me was Cazenove. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to see him as the newly qualified, sparkling eyed flyboy, but his portrayal of the embittered, loveless amputee was a joy to watch - clearly a talented man.

The film wraps up a great story with wonderful acting, a great collection of WW2 military hardware and breathtaking scenery. Well worth a watch.
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