But have you heard of Henry Faber?
It was released the year afterSutherlands Oscar snubfor his devastating performance inOrdinary People.
But if audiences were expecting a similarly compassionate performance, they would be mistaken.
Image by Zanda Rice
What Is Eye of the Needle About?
Set in the United Kingdom during a critical point ofWWII, a German sleeper agents cover is blown.
His response is quick as she pivots from confusion to panic.
Eye of the Needle is a World War II espionage thriller based on Ken Follett’s novel. The film follows Henry Faber, a ruthless Nazi spy known as “The Needle,” who discovers critical information about the D-Day invasion. Stranded on a remote Scottish island, he becomes entangled with a woman whose husband is away at war, leading to a tense and deadly confrontation.
He pushes the door closed, swipes out his blade, and stabs her with one fatal blow.
When bad weather strands him on Storm Island, hes taken in by the Rose family.
Miss Everdeen, its the things we love most that destroy us.
When he lies to Lucy about being a writer, he offers small truths about his past.
The smirk Sutherland puts on is eerie.
Life and death mean little to him.
Snows evil shows up in the form of the complacently confident threat thats ever present in his eyes.
His resolute stillness, Sutherland wrote, Have you seen a film I did years ago?
The Eye of the Needle.
Image via United Artists
That fellow had some of what Im looking for.
His performance was so effective, he added to his letter with amusement how it frightened his neighbors.
It made for an amusing dinner or two, but part of my wife is still wondering.
The calm presence, and then the speed at which he turns violent, make him a lethal man.
Theres another aspect of Faber in Snow too.
The best sequences in the film make great use of establishing shots andslow-burn tension.
Image via United Artists
Still, Lucas had nothing but kind words to share about Marquand.
He never rushes through it, despite the high risk of getting caught.
She slams an axe into Henrys hand when he tries to unlock a door.
The film’sdoomed romancecontinuously puts Henry and Lucy in intimate positions.
The pained expression on her face is a disturbing sight.
But Donald Sutherland wasnt anything like Henry Faber, even if his neighbors couldnt grasp that.
Eye of the Needleis currently streaming on Tubi in the U.S.
WATCH ON TUBI
