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Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Ian Bannen, Christopher Cazenove, Barbara Ewing ... see more see more... , David Hayman , Alex McCrindle , Philip Martin Brown , Rupert Frazer , David Ashton , George Belbin , John Bennett , Faith Brook , Patrick Connor , Ellis Dale , Don Fellows , Bill Fraser , Jonathan Haley , Stewart Harwood , Michael Joseph , Sam Kydd , George Lee , Arthur Lovegrove , Rik Mayall , Michael Mellinger , Bill Nighy , John Paul , Stephen Phillips , John Rees , Colin Rix , Richard Graydon , Stephen MacKenna , Chris Jenkinson , Bruce White , Alan Surtees , George Lee Clark

Having already been seen spying for the Nazis in 1979's The Eagle Has Landed, Donald Sutherland once more infiltrates wartime England on behalf of Der Fuhrer in Eye of the Needle. Willing to kill even... read more read more... the most innocent of bystanders to complete his task, Sutherland manages to remain in Britain until the eve of D-Day in 1944. Discovering that the invasion is to take place on Normandy, Sutherland scurries to rendezvous with a U-boat off the treacherous Isle of Storms. His mission is thwarted by Kate Nelligan, the frustrated wife of paralyzed RAF commander Christopher Cazenove. Though having fallen in love with Sutherland, Nelligan nonetheless prepares to turn the man in when he kills her husband. Tension mounts in the closing scene as Sutherland races against time to (a) make contact with the U-boat and (b) stop Nelligan before she blows the whistle on him. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

62% liked it

3,787 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

13 critics

R, 1 hr. 51 min.

Directed by: Richard Marquand

Release Date: July 24, 1981

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DVD Release Date: May 15, 2001

Stats: 140 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (140)

  • flixsterman
    January 20, 2010
    flixsterman
    Donald Sutherland is a ruthless German spy operating in war-torn England during WWII. He's relentless. He's cold-blooded. He must be stopped. What more do you need to know?
  • Tecnoandre
    January 23, 2010
    Tecnoandre
    Classic spy movie of ww2 based in a classic book by Ken Folett.
  • terris85017
    July 30, 2010
    terris85017
    (1981 Director: Richard Marquand) What strikes me about Donald Sutherland starring in this movie as Faber, an undercover top-tier German informant during WW II is that it is so different from Donald SUtherland's role in "The Dirty Dozen," certainly an amazing film.

    Ian Bannen... read more co-stars as Percy Godliman as a leading military role trying to stop the talented and illusive Faber. Not unlike Scotland Yard their efforts more the most part almost lend a feel of "Keystone Cops" to the Brits.
    [more review to follow)
  • MusicFromSpace
    August 2, 2008
    MusicFromSpace
    Henry Faber aka "the Needle", has a hankerin' for some shankerin', and shank he does...pretty much everyone.

    I wanted to try to write something clever, but how can something clever come from something so boring? Here's the best I can do...

    It seems to me that they tried to thr... read moreow in every ticket-selling element they possibly could. A spy, plenty o' murders, war, a massive storm, a wedding, a cripple, a fire, a character shipwrecked on a remote island, a horridly cliche (and awfully despicable) love affair, an alcoholic, and a little kid.

    Though the love story element is by far the most irritating.

    The wife of a man confined to a wheelchair, happily cheats on the father of her child with a complete stranger, while the understandably depressed hubby sleeps upstairs. What's more, even after learning that this creepy lover has beaten and thrown her legless husband off of a cliff , she still decides to sleep with him one more time - but not before drugging her child so they can get down in peace. Is this supposed to be romantic? The cheesy music during the cringe-worthy love scenes sure suggests it.

    Meanwhile, back in the "spy" side of the story, Sutherland is a good actor, but I just don't buy his performance in this role. And though a ruthless german super-spy with the outcome of the war in his hands, this character would rather picnic with this boring married woman than carry out his duty.

    Ridiculous.

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Critic Reviews

Gregory Weinkauf
February 4, 2004
Gregory Weinkauf, New Times

A lovely thriller, a gifted and prematurely departed director.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 31, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Eye of the Needle showcases the fine acting of Kate Nelligan. Full Review

Bob Bloom
August 20, 2002
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

A great thriller; Sutherland is tops and Nelligan is steely.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
August 30, 2004
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Dave Kehr
February 13, 2001
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Christopher Null
December 11, 2005
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 16, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Thomas Delapa
April 13, 2005
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly

No review available.

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