Eye of the Needle (1981)
Eye of the Needle Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Faber
as Lucy
as Inspector Godliman
as Lucy's Father
as Lieutenant
as Billy Parkin
as David
as Lucy's Mother
as Constable
as Peterson
as Oliphant
as Mrs. Garden
as German SS Officer
as German Radio Operator
as Inspector Harris
as Canter
as Constable
as Muller
as Joe
as Tom
as Kleinmann
as Col. Terry
as Mr. Porter
as Lock Keeper
as Home Guard Captain
as Home Guard Corporal
as Home Guard Private
as Portuguese Man
as American Colonel
as Sailor
as Sailor
as Sailor
as Station Master
as German Naval Captain
as German Naval Operator
as Inspector Kincaid
as Oban Policeman
as Oban Radio Operator
as Squadron Leader Blenkinsop
Critic Reviews for Eye of the Needle
All Critics (18) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (3) | DVD (1)
Some people will find the movie slow going. I preferred to think of it as deliberate. It is effective, I think, to develop a plot like this at a deliberate pace, instead of rushing headlong through it.
It is a swift, streamlined piece of entertainment, an expert thriller that serves to remind us how rare the simple competence and craft it has to offer have lately become.
Wonderfully understated with strong performances, solid script, and phenomenal score, Eye of the Needle rivals earlier industry era espionage thrillers often featuring more labyrinthine plots and clandestine characters.
The story takes too long to acquire any dramatic sense. This long wait is not compensated by sufficient action or imagination. [Full Review in Spanish]
Richard Marquand concocts a classic spy thriller with two great central performances.
For those who appreciate an exercise in classic Hollywood thriller filmmaking techniques, or twisted romantic entanglements, Eye of the Needle gets a solid recommendation from us.
Audience Reviews for Eye of the Needle
Claustrophic and taut espionage tale with an impressive second half and overall enormously benefited by a good measure of romanticism, both in its coastal setting and in its musical score, courtesy of the great Miklos Rozsa, who would sadly go into retirement soon after.
Super Reviewer
Eye of the Needle is a well constructed, entertaining dramatic thriller with a great cast. Donald Sutherland plays a German spy who has vital information on D Day, and he is trying to get out of Britain. The film keeps you engaged from start to finish and the cast do a fine job in their performances. Director Richard Marquand crafts a terrific film that has a wonderful story, and should appeal to any movie fan. This is enjoyable entertainment for what it is and it manages to be an effective thriller, one that is very memorable. At times the film has weak points, but there's enough good material presented on-screen to make this one worth seeing. I really enjoyed the film, and this is among the best thrillers of the early 1980's. With a great plot, good cast and constant thrills, director Marquand overcomes the film's weaknesses to convey a film that no viewer will soon forget. Richard Marquand would go on to conclude the Star Wars trilogy with Return of the Jedi, but we see hints of a great director who knows how to keep his viewers satisfied and interested. Eye of the Needle is a well crafted film, one that will appeal to genre fans and to other viewers looking for a well constructed, well acted picture. I've seen many films with Donald Sutherland, and The Eye of the Needle is one of his best films that I have seen due to his on-screen presence and his well written character. The film could have been reworked slightly, but most of the time, it succeeds at being a terrific film that in my opinion is a must see due to its plot, acting and effective directing. I found this film to be quite underrated and it's far better than what most critics have said about it.
Super Reviewer
Classic spy movie of ww2 based in a classic book by Ken Folett.
Super Reviewer
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