Eye of the Needle

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George S Sep 7, 2018 The score by Miklós Rózsa (who scored so many films from Hollywood's Golden Age, such as Spellbound, The Killers, The Asphalt Jungle, Moonfleet, Ben-Hur, and countless more) really elevates this otherwise standard spy story (from the novel by Ken Follett) to something more classical (if not classic). Those swirling strings when the tension is high! Donald Sutherland plays a Nazi spy ("the needle" because he kills with a stiletto knife) who, in the first half of the film is undercover in London, ordered by Hitler to find out where the Allied D-Day invasion will happen. Once his cover is blown (and he has discovered the Allied plans), he escapes to a lonely (and very scenic) island off the coast of Scotland to await his U-boat rendezvous. On that island, he meets Kate Nelligan who lives there alone with her disabled husband and preschool son, not very happily since her husband is bitter and mean. A romance develops and viewers are put on edge, knowing what Nelligan does not, Scotland Yard begins to close in. The husband begins to suspect. Rózsa's score swirls. And things resolve as you know they must, as they would in the Golden Age of Hollywood. And there is something reassuring, if not exactly ground-breaking, about that. (Direction is by Richard Marquand who was subsequently hired for Return of the Jedi). See more

Hagrid R May 19, 2018 I haven't watched Eye of the Needle in ages. Just by saying that is that I find it to be quite thrilling and I did. But watching it right now sure made me go back to the wonderous thrills of my time. This is actually set in the WWII back in the 40's. Donald Sutherland plays a German spy who is an Nazi in England who is known as "The Needle". He who discovers information about the upcoming D-Day invasion. Eye of the Needle is an entertaining British spy thriller with good climax that put the thrills to it's own. Sure it sometimes has some romance in this. See more

Anakin S May 31, 2017 This underrated, downbeat and quite violent spy thriller set during WWII features an incredible and effective performance by Donald Sutherland as the lead character (a Nazi spy). He is supported by a solid supporting cast (Kate Nelligan being especially notable) and great production values. It is also well directed, looks great, has a good score and as the plot gains momentum you can feel the tenseness and stress levels building that Sutherland's character is coming under as he becomes more and more desperate to achieve his mission. See more

Han R Mar 30, 2017 Very cool, smart, suspenseful and gory spy flick. More sexy than I would have expected from an early 80's movie. As smooth as Donald Sutherland is, I think Kate Nelligan outshines him. Her emotional swings really make the film. My one slight beef is the scoring which on occasion strays toward the over-dramatic; I'm thinking specifically of a love scene with swelling string accompaniment. Gag me. Oh well. Nelligan's poor husband, Christopher Cazenove...his character got the worst of all possible worlds. See more

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Eye of the Needle

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