How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

This top-notch mystery movie with ingenious plot contains tension , mystery , surprises and , of course , a suspenseful ending , dealing with a Nazi German spy acting undercover as an Englishman who becomes involved with a married woman . The title "Eye of the Needle" is that it is a reference to the eye of the stiletto blade that Nazi spy Henry Faber uses to kill his enemies . This World War II movie is set in London 1940 , during the Blitz when it opens , there a German Superspy , the Needle (Donald Sutherland) gravitates towards murder and treason . Meanwhile , a young couple goes out in their ¨Just married¨ car , but they have a strong accident . Four years later , a new allied offensive to take place : Normandy or Calais ¿ ; then , the Needle discovers a vital evidence about the Allies D-Day invasion : Operation Overlord . As The Needle capable of terrible violence , he often uses killing means to carry out his purports , at the same time being relentlessly chased by Godliman (Ian Bannen) . While en route to report his Nazi commander , Admiral Canaris : Secret Service chief , he makes for the Scotish coast to escape on a U-Boat when his small boat is shipwrecked before being picked up and the Needle is washed ashore . Posing as a shipwrecked sailor , he washes on a deserted England island , off the Scottish coast , being saved by a family formed by a crippled man (Christopher Cazenove) , his wife (Kate Nelligan) and child . And the spy becomes involved with the spouse while he waits to be picked up and he , then , begins to contemplate his role in the war , as both of them must decide between their love or country .Interesting drama/thriller plenty of thrills , taut , intrigue and twists . The film relies heavily on Donald Sutherland character when he falls in love with the woman and their lovely as well as twisted relationship . Despite of the fashion-able sex and violence , this is a satisfyingly old-fashioned sort of film that avid fans of the genre will love . Nice acting by Donald Sutherland as a German spy carrying information that will reveal the target and being stranded on an isolated island ; Donald gives a perfect performance as a cold killer using his trusty switchblade against suspects . This was one of three films in five years where Donald Sutherland played a German character who was either a Nazi or son of a Nazi . The movies are Bear Island (1979), Eyed of the needle (1981) and The Eagle Has Landed (1976). None of the main characters , Sutherland , Nelligan, Cazenove , is very sympathetic , but all of them are well drawn , which is more important here . Support cast is frankly good , such as Ian Bannen as relentless pursuer , David Hayman as Canter , Bill Frazer and debut credited theatrical feature film of actor Bill Nighy and first full length feature of Rik Mayall.Colorful and brilliant cinematography by Alan Hume shot on location in Mull , Argyll , Oban and Bute, Scotland , Blackbush Airport, Hampshire, and in Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England . A cottage and lighthouse were constructed on the The Isle of Mull for the production . Impressive and breathtaking musical score by Hollywood maestro Miklos Rozsa in one of his last soundtracks . This intelligent thriller that the Bristish production seems to produce every two or three years was compellingly directed by Richard Marquand . He was hired by George Lucas after seeing ¨Eye of the needle¨ and only non-American to direct a Star Wars film : ¨The return of the Jedi¨, 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 . His first film was the terror one titled ¨The legacy¨(79) , he went on with the successful ¨The jagged edge¨ (85) . However , his career failed with flops such as : ¨Until September¨ (84) a routine romance movie and a musical : ¨Hearts of fire¨ (87) until his early death.

This film is maybe a lost treasure, and it deserves to be more well known than it actually is. This is a fascinating and intense spy movie, and the plot takes place during the second world war. Donald Sutherland plays the part of the spy very convincing, ice cold and a character with a ruthless determination to get what he wants, really at all costs. The film is very well done, and eventually ends up as a story of lost love, and hard measures that needs to be taken. The casting is brilliant, and I think the films atmosphere really manages to take you back in a world in war, and different peoples way of life in these circumstances. This makes this film authentic and complete. (sorry about my English)

Another role for donald sutherland playing a German following on from 'the eagle has landed' but in this film donald sutherland plays central character and is main star. An intriguing film and a great story again about a German spy in the uk. It makes for tension, drama and suspense because he's placed with an unsuspecting family and part of tension is that he has romance with his hosts wife as well being undercover spy making contact with Germany. the rugged scenery of Scottish isles where spy donald sutherland is stranded adds to film. good scenes include where spy sutherland reveals ruthless side and when spies identity discovered. a film more subdued than faster moving 'eagle has landed' but good film to watch

Heinrich Faber is a undercover Nazi agent in Britain who has uncovered crucial data on the location of the imminent Allied invasion. In a desperate bid to relay the information to his superiors he is shipwrecked on Storm Island, a remote rock on the west coast of Scotland, where he is befriended by a lonely woman, Lucy Rose. Can he get the message out, and how long before Lucy discovers his true identity ?Based on a bestselling spy thriller by Ken Follett, this is an interesting, old-fashioned sort of WWII action/thriller/drama. The stylings, and the classical score by veteran composer Miklós Rózsa reinforce this, as does the focus on strong characterisation, in the vein of old classics like Night Train To Munich or Notorious. Sutherland is perfectly cast as the resourceful, chilling agent Die Nadel (his codename comes from his weapon of choice, a stiletto); few other actors could play someone who matter-of-factly murders a cripple and yet still retains some sympathy. His character is slightly reminiscent of the one he plays in the superior The Eagle Has Landed, but he has so many good scenes - notably the after supper chat where he pegs Lucy's character instantly - that it hardly matters. Nelligan is not quite so good in the pivotal role, but gives it her all and is lumbered with a depressing husband and a pointless child. The location photography (the Storm Island scenes were shot on Mull) and rich period details are nicely done and there are several well-mounted suspense sequences throughout. However, this is a film which doesn't quite excite me. There's nothing specific wrong with it, and Faber and Lucy's relationship is fascinating, but it just doesn't seem to grip me somehow - perhaps it's because despite being highly stylised it's fairly unglamorous, or that the two story strands of wartime mission and repressed lovers don't come together so well. It's still a solid evening's entertainment though. Trivia - George Lucas was so impressed by this movie that he hired both Marquand and director of photography Alan Hume to work on Return Of The Jedi.