Movie Cosmos - Eye of the Needle

Description:

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.

Top Cast >

Donald Sutherland

As Faber

Kate Nelligan

As Lucy

Ian Bannen

As Godliman

Christopher Cazenove

As David

Faith Brook

As Lucy's Mother

Barbara Ewing

As Mrs. Garden

David Hayman

As Canter

Alex McCrindle

As Tom

Philip Martin Brown

As Billy Parkin

Stephen MacKenna

As Lieutenant

George Belbin

As Lucy's Father

Barbara Graley

As David's Mother

George Lee

As Constable

Arthur Lovegrove

As Peterson

Colin Rix

As Oliphant

Chris Jenkinson

As German SS Officer

William Merrow

As German Radio Operator

Patrick Connor

As Inspector Harris

Rupert Frazer

As Muller

Jonathan Nicholas Haley

As Jo

John Bennett

As Kleinmann

Sam Kydd

As Lock Keeper

John Paul

As Home Guard Captain

Richard Graydon

As Home Guard Private

Michael Mellinger

As Portuguese Man

Allan Surtees

As Colonel Terry

Don Fellows

As American Colonel

Stewart Harwood

As Sailor #1

Rik Mayall

As Sailor #2

Rory Edwards

As Sailor #3

Ellis Dale

As Station Master

Bill Fraser

As Mr. Porter

Michael Josephs

As German Naval Captain

John Rees

As German Naval Operator

John Grieve

As Inspector Kincaid

Bruce White

As Oban Policeman

David Ashton

As Oban Radio Operator

Bill Nighy

As Squadron Leader Blenkinsop

Stephen Phillips

As Home Guard Corporal

Top Crew >

Richard Marquand

Director

Reviews:

Wuchak (8/10)

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-

2023-04-27