Eye of the Needle

Synopsis: A German spy carrying information that will reveal the target of Operation Overlord becomes involved with the wife of a crippled man on an isolated island off the Scottish coast while he waits to be picked up.
Genre: Romance, Thriller, War
Director(s): Richard Marquand
Production: MGM Home Entertainment
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.1
Rotten Tomatoes:
85%
R
Year:
1981
112 min
508 Views


This is Bruce Davids from London.

The city is in flames from

the German bombs dropped last night

by Hitler's Luftwaffe.

The dead are being dug from the rubble

and in France, the German armies

wait for this country to surrender.

But English troops are fighting back.

In the skies, the young men of the RAF

are struggling against the Nazi forces

which only a year ago

invaded Poland, swept through France,

and left this country standing alone

in a conflict which, if lost,

could destroy the Free World.

Sergeant Major, move the men in.

All right, you lot, move.

Mind your backs. Gangway.

I found the four extra carriages you need.

- Good.

- You'll have your thousand men.

- I'd rather be with them than here.

- Finland appeals to you, does it?

- Is it the country or the ladies?

- Just a brief surge of patriotism.

- Are you coming for a drink?

- Thanks, no. Perhaps tomorrow.

Hello?

- See you in the morning.

- Yes.

Three that I can see from here.

Cheers.

- Mr Faber?

- Hello, Billy.

I've got another interview with the army.

You don't look any older

than you did last week.

My mate Harry's got some cream

that'll take the pimples off just like that.

There's no need to rush. There'll be

plenty of war left, I can promise you.

But I want to fight now.

Everyone's in uniform except me.

Unless they've got a special job like you.

- What about the navy, Billy?

- I've been thinking about the navy, but...

- Well, I can't swim a stroke.

- Then the air force is out.

- Why?

- Well, you haven't got wings, have you?

- Take these over, love.

- Thank you.

- All the best, love.

- Thank you.

- All the very best.

- Thank you. Thanks very much.

Mrs Rose?

David, darling.

I think I'd better go and get changed.

- Can I help?

- No, you can't.

Well, my boy,

when do you join your squadron?

Tomorrow, sir. A Spitfire.

I saw her yesterday. Lovely kite.

There we are.

Mama, I'm so happy.

Oh, darling.

- He is a lovely boy.

- Isn't he.

Darling...

Off you go, Emma.

Both of you.

- Lucy...

- Yes?

Lucy, I...

I don't know what

you're expecting tonight, but I...

I... I think you should know that...

Mama, I do know.

Goodbye, Mother.

Goodbye, Daddy.

Bye.

Billy, you missed your tea. And you,

Faber. Have something at the pub.

- Thanks. I'll just have a wash.

- See you there.

- Freddy, can I come?

- I don't know about that.

- You in the army yet?

- Tell him about that miracle cream.

Oh, yeah.

Will you tell Mrs Garden I'll be late?

My mate Harry's got this cream

that takes all the pimples off...

Mr Faber, I've kept

a nice piece of meat pie warm for you.

- We mustn't let that go to waste.

- Not with this rationing, we mustn't.

I'll be down in a minute.

24 hours isn't very long

for a honeymoon, is it?

We can start right now.

There's a bottle of bubbly down there.

So there is.

- There we are. Are there glasses?

- But of course. Everything's supplied.

- Oh, dear.

- What?

Well, I was just thinking of Mother.

This afternoon, she tried to tell me

what happens on a wedding night.

She's a bit late. What did you say?

I said she was a bit late, didn't I?

Henry?

Mr Faber?

What are you doing?

It's all right. It's... just for the station.

Classified work regarding the trains.

I shouldn't really be telling you.

- Please, listen to me.

- No.

Trust me.

- You're a spy.

- Stop struggling.

Listen to me, please.

Last night, the Luftwaffe's

main target was again London.

Considerable damage was done

to residential and industrial areas...

David, be careful.

You're not in your Spitfire yet.

Dearly beloved brethren,

the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

He gives us the sheep

and we... give him back the bones.

Lucy, I think I've offended

your mother again.

I'm right here, David.

You may address me directly.

- A tantalising invitation.

- David, please...

Drink up, darling.

- You'll be packed and ready, won't you?

- You needn't worry. I'm ready now.

Good.

Daddy.

Mother, I apologise for David.

He finds it difficult to be with people now.

- You understand?

- Of course, darling.

- My poor girl.

- No. I'm all right.

We're all all right. Aren't we, Tom?

Aye, indeed we are.

Well, goodbye, Mistress.

These are for you and your husband.

There's little enough to eat

in London at the moment.

Thank you, Tom.

Thank you, Tom.

Come on, Tom.

He's drunk.

- Is he always like that?

- Most of the time, but he's a good friend.

Any time you want to come home,

you and Jo...

No.

My home is here, Mother,

with David and Jo.

It was you who told me not to expect

marriage to be uninterrupted pleasure.

- I'm afraid it was.

- Yes, it was.

Well, at least Jo seems well.

- I kissed him on the ear.

- Perhaps if you had another?

Why ever not? Surely David's capable?

Yes.

But he can't bear to pass me

in the hallway for fear of touching me.

- Come on, Lucy.

- I do love you.

It's not necessary to tell Father about this.

- No.

- No. Come on, then.

- Bye-bye, Grandma.

- Come along, Jo.

Agent Muller.

- Someone's in with Muller.

- Good.

Give them 60 seconds and then go in.

You've left a trail

a blind man could follow.

We're surrounded.

Speak in English.

The Fhrer wants you to... reassess the

strength of Patton's army in East Anglia.

It's invasion strength.

They have the photographs.

General Patton is ready to invade Europe

at any time at Pas-de-Calais.

- Hitler's astrologer...

- Astrologer?

My God.

He believes... attack will be at Normandy.

All right.

I will reassess.

- I will signal in the usual way.

- No.

Absolutely no further radio contact.

You have to take photographs.

Deliver them personally to the Fhrer.

- Personally? Why?

- He says he trusts you.

- He wants to hear from your own mouth.

- Well, I'm flattered.

Admiral Canaris is sending a U-boat

to pick you up off the coast of Scotland.

That's nice.

Have you been carrying this around?

Yes. Why?

- Let's go.

- We'll get them both.

What's this?

Storm Island.

Two miles from the rendezvous.

- The U-boat will pick me up when?

- When you signal it.

From six in the evening

until six in the morning.

Six in the evening till six in the morning.

Beginning when?

A week from today,

and for a week after that.

And you.

How will you get out of England?

I'm supposed

to get to Liverpool somehow.

If they capture you and torture you?

- I have a suicide pill.

- Would you use it?

Of course. If necessary.

Jo asked me to say good night

to Daddy for him.

He loves you very much.

I love him.

But, darling, you don't show it.

You never tell him.

You never hold him.

Don't be afraid now that he's growing up.

Afraid of what?

What the hell have I got to be afraid of?

I'm going to go for walks with him,

aren't I?

And swim with him

and play football with him.

- David...

- I want him to be proud of me, don't I?

To grow up like his father,

a legless f***ing joke.

I suppose you and your mother

had a lovely time discussing me.

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Stanley Mann

Stanley Mann (August 8, 1928 – January 11, 2016) was a Canadian-born film and television writer. Born in Toronto, he began his writing career in 1951, and was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the 1965 film The Collector, based on the John Fowles novel of the same title. In 1957, he wrote an adaptation of Death of a Salesman for television. Two of his better-known credits are Eye of the Needle and Conan the Destroyer. He appeared in two of the titles, Firestarter and Meteor.He was married to Florence Wood in the 1950s, while living and working in London, England. Following their divorce in 1959, Wood married novelist Mordecai Richler, who adopted Mann's son Daniel.He died on January 11, 2016. more…

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