Eye of the Needle

1981
R
1h 52m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

13K

YOUR RATING

Donald Sutherland and Kate Nelligan in Eye of the Needle (1981)

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.

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Period Drama Spy Romance Thriller War

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.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.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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

13K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Trivia
This movie is what led George Lucas to hire Richard Marquand to direct Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). Lucas was mainly impressed how Marquand was able to finish a difficult production on time and on budget, a factor which was critical on a huge production like Star Wars. Lucas also had to hire someone who was not a member of the Hollywood director's union as he was having a dispute with the Director's Guild at the time.

Goofs
Other then in Burma, and a bit of Coast Guard work, Helicopters were not around in Military use (or few others for that matter) in 1944. That model was not flown by the RAF until 1953.

Quotes
Faber: [calling on radio to submarine] Singvogel. Hier ist die Nadel. Kommen.
["Songbird. This is the Needle. Come."]

Alternate versions
NTSC DVD R1 and PAL DVD R2, have different endings. European PAL DVD version ending is approx. 1.5 minutes longer. In the last scene, the helicopter arrives and lands, there is a conversation with the commander about the radio transmission being interrupted and finally the child arrives and reunites with his mother. it's sort of a happy end. This ending was cut from NTSC DVD version.

Connections
Featured in Vintage Video: A Chronological 80's Film Rewatch Podcast: Eye of the Needle (1981) (2022)

Soundtracks
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung by wedding guests with modified lyrics ("For They Are Jolly Good Fellows")

User reviews107

Review

Featured review

8/10

EYeeee Of The Needle

Eye Of The Needle is one of those films that I saw when I was a wee lad, which I watched again recently, to find out I enjoyed it as much as the first time (which rarely happens). Donald Sutherland plays the Needle, a German top spy who has a nasty habit with a knife. After taking pictures of a supposed American military base to spoil the chances of an American blitz, his plans are temporarily diverted when the boat he steals while getting away from those dang Allied forces, washes away on a beach, where Kate Nelligan and her husband lives. But they don't know his secret, and Sutherland must somehow make contact with a German U-Boat before Time Runs Out!! Everyone is wonderful in this. The plot sort of reminds me of I know Where I'm Going! mixed in with Breaking The Waves. Lots of twists and surprises to keep you going, A great popcorn movie!