DramaThriller

Eye of the Needle

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

Great Britain, 1944, during World War II. Relentlessly pursued by several MI5 agents, Henry Faber the Needle, a ruthless German spy in possession of vital information about D-Day, takes refuge on Storm Island, an inhospitable, sparsely inhabited island off the coast of northern Scotland.

Release Date : 1981-07-24

Language :EnglishGerman

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Kings Road EntertainmentJuniper Films

Production Country : United KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Faber

Original Name : Donald Sutherland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy

Original Name : Kate Nelligan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Godliman

Original Name : Ian Bannen

Gender : Male

Character Name : David

Original Name : Christopher Cazenove

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy's Mother

Original Name : Faith Brook

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Garden

Original Name : Barbara Ewing

Gender : Female

Character Name : Canter

Original Name : David Hayman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tom

Original Name : Alex McCrindle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Billy Parkin

Original Name : Philip Martin Brown

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lieutenant

Original Name : Stephen MacKenna

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy's Father

Original Name : George Belbin

Gender : Male

Character Name : David's Mother

Original Name : Barbara Graley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Constable

Original Name : George Lee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Peterson

Original Name : Arthur Lovegrove

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oliphant

Original Name : Colin Rix

Gender : Male

Character Name : German SS Officer

Original Name : Chris Jenkinson

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Radio Operator

Original Name : William Merrow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector Harris

Original Name : Patrick Connor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Muller

Original Name : Rupert Frazer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jo

Original Name : Jonathan Nicholas Haley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kleinmann

Original Name : John Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lock Keeper

Original Name : Sam Kydd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Home Guard Captain

Original Name : John Paul

Gender : Male

Character Name : Home Guard Private

Original Name : Richard Graydon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Portuguese Man

Original Name : Michael Mellinger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel Terry

Original Name : Allan Surtees

Gender : Male

Character Name : American Colonel

Original Name : Don Fellows

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor #1

Original Name : Stewart Harwood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor #2

Original Name : Rik Mayall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor #3

Original Name : Rory Edwards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Station Master

Original Name : Ellis Dale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Porter

Original Name : Bill Fraser

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Naval Captain

Original Name : Michael Josephs

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Naval Operator

Original Name : John Rees

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector Kincaid

Original Name : John Grieve

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oban Policeman

Original Name : Bruce White

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oban Radio Operator

Original Name : David Ashton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Squadron Leader Blenkinsop

Original Name : Bill Nighy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Home Guard Corporal

Original Name : Stephen Phillips

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2023-04-27

**_To kill and love during WW2 with Donald Sutherland and Kate Nelligan_** A German spy in Britain (Sutherland) has strategic info on the D-Day landing in 1944. As he tries to elude the authorities, he stumbles on a couple living remotely near the coast (Nelligan and Christopher Cazenove). Will he make it out? Who will live and who will die? "Eye of the Needle” (1981) is a war drama/thriller, but not a conventional war movie. The plot has similarities to “The Eagle Has Landed” (1976) with the same actor as the spy (Sutherland). It’s almost as if they’re the same character. The difference is that “Eagle” features military combat whereas this one is decidedly a spy-on-the-run flick with the thrills thereof. Like “Eagle,” this is easily one of Sutherland’s top movies. The British scenery is awesome, the palette is colorful, the adventure is compelling, the drama/romance is good and the suspense is off-the-charts in the final act. There are elements of “The Eagle Has Landed,” “The Heroes of Telemark” (1965) and the later “The House on Carroll Street” (1988). If you like these flicks, this is a must; it’s as good or better than any of ’em. The film runs 1 hour, 52 minutes, and was shot in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, which is located in southwest Scotland, including Oban, nearby Connel Bridge and the Isle of Mull. Studio stuff was done in England in the greater London area, as well as the airport scene filmed at Blackbushe Airport. GRADE: A-