Richard Marquand’s 1981 film follows Nazi spy Henry aka The Needle (Donald Sutherland) as he attempts to escape Britain back to Germany with his secret about the planned Allied invasion. He must make it to a meeting with Hitler that could change the direction of the war to Germany’s advantage. On the run, Sutherland finds himself stranded on the aptly-named Storm Island off the coast of Scotland awaiting rescue from a German U-Boat. There he meets Lucy and David and their young son Joe. The embittered David was once a Spitfire pilot but a motor accident took his legs years before and now he and Lucy share a marriage in name only, both miserable. As Lucy and Henry grow closer, David’s suspicions intensify and the stage is set for tragedy.
A mix of spy-thriller and romantic melodrama, Eye of the Needle has much to recommend it. The Needle, so called because of his preference for a stiletto blade as weapon, is a compellingly unknowable central character, and Nelligan’s Lucy the film’s melancholy heart. Marquand and cinematographer Alan Hume construct an achingly beautiful film that makes full use of the Scottish scenery as Henry’s doomed imposition on Lucy and David plays out. It’s a fairly unusual mix of occasionally brutal wartime thriller and windswept love triangle with two excellent performances at its core from Sutherland and Nelligan. A little too long perhaps, hanging together on contrivance and wasting Ian Bannen’s dogged investigator, but it’s mostly grandly entertaining.
The BFI’s new Blu-ray release compliments the film well. Despite some scratches here and there and occasional softness, the picture is usually sharp, clear and rich in detail, ably assisted by Miklós Rózsa’s score. For extras, there’s three short propaganda films made by Ealing Studios (36 mins approx) warning about the dangers of loose lips, an alternate ending for the film, an enthusiastic and appreciative commentary track and an audio-only interview with Sutherland from 1987 (73 mins approx). The release should also come with a booklet featuring writing by Paul Fairclough. It’s a good package for those interested in the film’s production.
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.
Special Features: Director Richard Marquand’s preferred cut of the film, presented in High Definition and Standard Definition, Audio commentary by Julie Kirgo, Nick Redman and music historian Jon Burlingame, Alternate ending sequence, Donald Sutherland Guardian Interview (1987, 73 mins, audio only), Careless Talk Costs Lives: Wartime Warnings (1940, 36 mins): three short wartime propaganda films produced by Ealing Studios for the Ministry of Information, Theatrical trailer, Illustrated booklet with full film credits and new writing by Little White Lies essayist Paul Fairclough
EYE OF THE NEEDLE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: RICHARD MARQUAND / SCREENPLAY: STANLEY MANN / STARRING: DONALD SUTHERLAND, KATE NELLIGAN, CHRISTOPHER CAZENOVE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
