EYE OF THE NEEDLE

UK, 1981, 113 minutes, Colour.
Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Ian Bannen, Christopher Cazenove.
Directed by Richard Marquand.

Eye of the Needle is based on the best-seller by Ken Follet and is reminiscent of such successful best-sellers and film versions as Frederick Forsythe's Day of the Jackal and Jack Higgins' The Eagle Has Landed. Donald Sutherland gives an icy performance as the ruthless Nazi spy - with echoes of his fascist villain in Bertollucci 1900. He is matched excellently by stage and television actress Kate Nelligan. The strong characterisations make for the success of the film. The plot is somewhat improbable and in the best-seller vein. However, the screenplay is broken down into the essential components of focusing on the central characters and the espionage plot. There is much irony in the relationship between villain and heroine on patriotic, sexual and psychological levels. Direction is by Richard Marquand, who made The Legacy, The Birth of the Beatles and was employed by George Lucas to direct the third episode of the Star Wars adventures.

1. The popularity of film versions of best-sellers? The transition from large best-seller to film? Interests of the '70s and '80s in World War Two, Nazis, espionage, conspiracies? War, espionage and human issues? Character sketches?

2. The background of World War Two as seen in the retrospect of the decades? Nazis? The crisis for Britain? Heroism?

3. The plausibility of the plot: German spies in England and their manner of operation, ruthlessness? The police and ±investigation? The range of ordinary people and their involvement in the war effort? War,, enmity and vital decisions being made? Audiences knowing that the information about D-Day? was not to get to Germany? Suspense despite this knowledge?

4. The creation of the war period. the opening sequences with England at war? The Berlin sequences and their atmosphere? The remoteness of Scotland - and the beauty of the islands as well as the treachery of storms? Street scenes., railway stations, trains? The contrast with the simple way of life on the island? The use of coastal scenery, seas? The importance of atmosphere? The stirring score by Miklos Rosza?

5. The incorporation of documentary material. newsreels? The giving of information about the progress of the war? The patriotic theme e.g. the applause of the people in the cinema? Audiences identifying with the British and the war effort? Antipathy towards the villain?

6. The initial introduction to Henry Faber - with Billy, the work at the station, simplicity of the bicycle ride, his diffident manner? Landlady? The revelation that he was a spy and the brutality of his stabbing his landlady? The audience being left with that impression and the transition of four years?

7. The parallel with the presentation of Lucy and David? As characters, the wedding day, Lucy and her mother, the atmosphere of jollity, the drive and the accident? The passing of four years?

8. The police background and investigation? Godliman and his assistants? Interviews, the use of Billy and the identification of The Needle, the train search for The Needle? The interrogation of people seeing The Needle? Radio contact with Lucy? Their presence at the end? The pressures from the British authorities? Conventional presentation of police investigation?

9. The portrait of Lucy and David on the island: their way of life, tensions, Joe? David's bitterness, refusal of intimacy, drinking, friendship with Tom? The effect on Lucy - the talk with her mother? Lucy as the focus of the drama on the island? The encounter with Faber and her willingness to help him? The meal, listening to his story? His drawing out of her story and his sensitivity to how she felt? The strong acting performance by Kate Nelligan in communicating the intensity of her feeling? The seduction and her allowing herself to be seduced? Feelings of guilt? The growing intimacy? The effectiveness of the intimacy as indicated by the bath scene? The irony with her discovery of Faber's murdering David?

10. Faber and his reputation in Germany? His mission? His killing the German contact in the flat? Ruthlessness and professionalism? Escape? His photographing the false forces in East Anglia? Contact with the Portuguese official? His eluding his pursuer? His manner on the train, murder of Billy after talking with him? Escape from the train, the lift along the road, the stealing of the bike, the stealing of the boat? The drastic experience of the storm? The explanation about his background with the photo and the voice-over commentary?

11. His surviving the wreck, his exhaustion and sleep? His friendship with Joe? Listening to Lucy? The explanation of his passionate affair and his lack of relationship? His continuing the intimacy even after the death of David? His skill at double talk?

12. David and his character, bitterness? Reaction to Faber? Discovery of the truth and confrontation? The vividness of the fight and David's death?

13. Lucy and the discovery of the truth? Her protectiveness of Joe? Her coping with the situation - especially the picnic? The sensual scenes of intimacy parallelling the previous night and yet her knowing the truth?

14. The build-up to her escape, the drive in the rain, the siege in the lighthouse? Her resourcefulness? The overtones of horror films and axe murders? Radio contact? Faber setting the lighthouse alight?

15. The build-up to the confrontation? Faber's contact with the submarine? Lucy's destroying the radio? His escape and her shooting him? The vividness of the final confrontation before his death?

16. Lucy and the final rescue? Her being with Joey and the sentiment? Her explanation of killing Faber? Themes of relationship, betrayal? War and patriotism? Audiences identifying with her in her dilemma and her action?

17. The themes of values of war, espionage and loyalty, patriotism? The portrayal of The Needle as the cold personality with ruthless professionalism? The contrast with Lucy and her English manner and her passionate nature? The confrontation of Nazism with the resourceful British? The success of the film on the level of espionage adventure? Perennial themes?