Eyewitness

Eyewitness

Year: 1970

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: John Hough

Thriller

A thrilling Maltese adventure begins when a young boy, notorious for exaggerating, actually sees a political assassination unfold. He races through the island’s winding streets in a chase that rivals the iconic scene from Bullitt, hoping only his skeptical grandfather will believe his story.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Eyewitness yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Eyewitness (1970)

Trace every key event in Eyewitness (1970) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Summer at the lighthouse

Ziggy spends the summer in Malta living with his adult sister Pippa at their grandfather's lighthouse. To ease his boredom, he invents a vivid fantasy world of adventure. His stories earn him a growing reputation as the family's worst liar.

Summer Grandfather's lighthouse, Malta
2

Ziggy's imagination takes hold

To cope with his boredom, Ziggy creates elaborate adventures in his mind. The imaginary exploits become a fixture around the lighthouse and the town, shaping how others see him. The tales cement his reputation as the family's most persistent liar, whether or not they are true.

Summer Lighthouse vicinity, Malta
3

Crowd gathers to greet the dignitary

Pippa drives Ziggy to town to join the crowds welcoming a visiting African dignitary. The event draws locals and tourists into a tense, festive atmosphere. Tom, a young tourist, is introduced as Pippa's new acquaintance.

Day Town square, Malta
4

Assassination during the parade

As the dignitary's open-top car passes, gunfire erupts and the vehicle is struck, killing everyone inside. Ziggy is the only spectator who witnesses the attackers up close, including a man in a policeman's uniform. Realizing Ziggy saw them, the killers begin a frantic pursuit through the streets.

Day Town center
5

Ziggy recounts the attack

The assassins chase Ziggy as he tries to escape. Pippa and Tom find him at the town edge and press him for details about what he saw. Yet the adults refuse to believe his extraordinary tale.

Evening Town edge; lighthouse area
6

Martial law and curfew declared

A Malta TV broadcast announces martial law and a curfew, tightening control over the town. Tom chooses to stay overnight with Ziggy, Pippa, and Grandfather in the lighthouse to weather the crisis. The new danger overshadow the earlier event.

Evening Lighthouse residence
7

Police visit and Ziggy flees

Grandfather grows convinced Ziggy's story is true when police arrive to check who is staying at the lighthouse. Ziggy panics and runs off into the night, fleeing into the streets and shadows. The danger surrounding Ziggy intensifies as night falls.

Night Lighthouse and town outskirts
8

Ann-Marie helps Ziggy then is captured

In town, Ziggy hides with Ann-Marie, a local girl who tries to help him. She breaks curfew to assist him and is picked up by the police. She is later slain by the assassin's brother, a renegade cop, heightening the stakes of Ziggy's escape.

Night Town
9

Chase into the church catacombs

The killers spot Ziggy and pursue him into the catacombs beneath a church. They kill a priest who offered sanctuary to the boy, but Ziggy manages another narrow escape through the labyrinthine tunnels. The catacombs become a dangerous hideout for Ziggy as the pursuit continues.

Night Church catacombs
10

Search party locates Ziggy

Back at the lighthouse, Pippa, Tom, and Grandfather drive into town to locate Ziggy. They eventually find him hiding under a table in the dead priest's church, confirming the danger and the truth of his story.

Night Dead priest's church, interior
11

Lighthouse attacked; Molotovs improvised

The uniformed assassin spots their car and shoots at the lighthouse house. Grandpa and Tom devise Molotov cocktails using paraffin lamps filled with brandy to buy time against the attackers. The improvised defense allows the group to slip away and keep fighting back.

Night Lighthouse vicinity
12

Escape toward safety

With the attackers stalled, Ziggy, Pippa, Tom, and Grandpa slip out toward Pippa's car. They begin a tense escape through the town, hoping to reach safety before the pursuers close in again.

Night Town streets toward coast
13

Car chase to the coast

A dramatic pursuit unfolds as they race toward the rocky coast. The assassin uses a police cruiser to ram their car off the road, almost sending them over a cliff. The tension peaks as the fight for survival continues.

Early morning Coastal road
14

Final showdown at the cliff edge

Grandpa and the Chief of Police arrive just in time to shoot the assassin, sending his cruiser plunging into the water. The immediate danger ends, but dawn breaks on the aftermath of the night's ordeals. The family survives, bonded by the night’s events.

Early morning Coast and water

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 12:34

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Eyewitness Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Eyewitness

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