{"id":43828,"date":"2019-05-31T08:40:05","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T15:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=43828"},"modified":"2021-01-15T23:50:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-16T06:50:25","slug":"eye-of-the-needle-1981","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=43828","title":{"rendered":"Eye of the Needle (1981)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Find him, Godliman &#8212; it could cost us the bloody war.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Poster-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-43832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Poster-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Poster.jpg 532w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen a ruthless Nazi spy (Donald Sutherland) is shipwrecked on an isolated island, he embarks on an affair with the wife (Kate Nelligan) of a disabled sheepherder (Christopher Cazenove) &#8212; but what will happen when Nelligan finds out Sutherland&#8217;s true identity?\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Donald Sutherland Films<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Nazis<\/li>\n<li>Spies<\/li>\n<li>World War II<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nDonald Sutherland gives an eerily memorable performance in this well-directed (by Richard Marquand) adaptation of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eye_of_the_Needle_(novel)\">Ken Follett&#8217;s bestselling spy novel<\/a>. Sutherland&#8217;s cold-blooded dedication to transmitting information to Nazi Germany about <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Operation_Fortitude\">Operation Fortitude<\/a>&#8216;s plans for D-Day landings leads him to ruthlessly kill (with a needle-like stiletto &#8212; hence his nickname &#8220;The Needle&#8221;) anyone who stumbles upon his secret identity. During the first third of the movie, we&#8217;re also introduced to the tragic collapse of a doomed marriage between the seemingly happy Lucy (Nelligan) and her RAF-husband (Cazenove), who loses his legs in a car accident as they&#8217;re leaving their own wedding. The middle portion of the narrative shows stoic Lucy raising her four-year-old son (Jonathan Nicholas Haley) on a rocky, isolated island, where her husband bitterly drinks and refuses to sleep with her. Nelligan&#8217;s performance is compassionate and nuanced enough that we believe what ensues next: she allows herself to fall for Sutherland when he washes up to shore in a shipwreck. Since we as audience members know what this sociopath is capable of, we watch their romance unfold with deep trepidation and interest &#8212; especially since Sutherland seems authentically enamored with Nelligan, rather than simply taking advantage of her vulnerability. Once Nelligan understands the truth about the enemy she&#8217;s been intimate with, the film turns into a high-octane thriller worthy of any horror fan&#8217;s attention. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Donald Sutherland as Faber (nominated as one of the Best Actors of the Year in Peary&#8217;s <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Sutherland.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Sutherland-1024x557.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-43829\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Sutherland-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Sutherland-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Sutherland-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Sutherland-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Sutherland.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Kate Nelligan as Lucy<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Nelligan.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Nelligan-1024x557.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-43830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Nelligan-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Nelligan-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Nelligan-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Nelligan-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Nelligan.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Excellent use of location shooting and fine attention to period detail<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Period-Detail.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Period-Detail-1024x557.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"348\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-43831\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Period-Detail-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Period-Detail-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Period-Detail-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Period-Detail-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Eye-of-the-Needle-Period-Detail.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, for Sutherland and Nelligan&#8217;s performances. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0082351\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/eye-of-the-needle-1981\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=10044&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1981\/07\/24\/movies\/eye-of-needle-espionage-and-passion.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Find him, Godliman &#8212; it could cost us the bloody war.&#8221; Synopsis: When a ruthless Nazi spy (Donald Sutherland) is shipwrecked on an isolated island, he embarks on an affair with the wife (Kate Nelligan) of a disabled sheepherder (Christopher Cazenove) &#8212; but what will happen when Nelligan finds out Sutherland&#8217;s true identity? Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Donald Sutherland Films Marital Problems Nazis Spies World War II Review: Donald Sutherland gives an eerily memorable performance in this well-directed (by&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=43828\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43828"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63646,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43828\/revisions\/63646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}