The Eiger Sanction
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Movie Reviews of The Eiger Sanction
Movie Review: MOUNTAIN CLIMBING FOR DUMMIES
Summary: 3 Stars
THE EIGER SANCTION is definitely not a film that would have foreshadowed the great films Clint Eastwood would achieve later in his career. If it weren't for the mountain climbing scenes, this movie is rather lifeless and dull. Clint plays a college art professor (duh?) who was once a top notch assassin, and he is blackmailed into doing two sanctions for the albino head of some covert agency (played by the late Thayer David, who I will remember from his roles on TV's Dark Shadows). His sanction is the Eiger Sanction, his job to kill one assassin who got away; the problem is he doesn't know who the assassin is. Along for the ride are Vonetta McGee, hopelessly miscast as Eastwood's lover and a fellow agent; Jack Cassidy, hamming up his role as a homosexual ex-partner of Eastwood's; George Kennedy, fresh from his Cool Hand Luke Oscar as Eastwood's good buddy mountain climber; and Gregory Walcott as the obnoxious henchman of David's, who also likes to chew up his scenery. After a fairly suspenseful opening in which an agent is killed for secret microfilm, the movie plods along until its climax. I don't know why Eastwood chose to spend so much time showing us the Arizona landscape and his "working out to get in shape" for the climb scenes. They're drawn out and impede suspense possibilities. The movie is okay for a 1970's flick, but it pales in comparison to most of Clint's later work.Movie Review: Great movie hampered by a badly drawn-out middle
Summary: 3 Stars
This one nearly got four stars. The beginning is excellent, the story is interesting and the action great in that understated '70's way (before action movies became overly-choreographed and started showing explosions in slow motion) and I loved the bizarre touch of a total albino acting as the head of a mysterious Governmental organization.
Clint Eastwood is cool and squinty as ever (though I almost choked when another character guessed his age at thirty-five!) and I loved his cynical, non-patriotic (not the same as unpatriotic) take on a government assassin during the Cold War.
So the beginning is strong, but then we get to the part where he goes back to climbing school and the pace draaaaaaags out. There's important stuff happening there and the shots of Clint climbing in those non-CGI times are eye-popping. But there is just way too much film time devoted to this section. And the cartoonish flamboyant bad-guy didn't help. Must he have been so stereotypical?
Once they move on to Eiger, it picks back up again and the climbing scenes are AWESOME.
Great beginning, good end, but the soggy middle pulls this movie down a peg or two.
Movie Review: ACTION IN THE SWISS ALPS...
Summary: 3 Stars
Based upon the novel of the same name by Trevanian and directed by Clint Eastwood who also stars in it, this is an interesting action film, as most of the relevant action takes place on the Eiger mountain in the Swiss Alps.
The story line is fairly simple. A retired professional assassin and climber turned art collector, played by Eastwood, is suddenly forced out of retirement when he is made an offer he can't refuse. His mission is to kill an unknown double agent who deep sixed a close friend of Eastwood.
Be prepared for total political incorrectness and rampant sexism reminiscent of the early Bond flicks. It is somewhat jarring to see and hear in these politically correct times. When you see the film, you will know what I mean. Notwithstanding this, it is still an entertaining film.
Eastwood's quest for the unknown double agent takes him to the Eiger, where he ultimately makes a life changing decision, as does his friend, played by George Kennedy. This film should appeal to those who enjoy thrillers, buddy films, and action movies. Climbing enthusiasts will also enjoy it for the spectacular mountain footage and gripping climbing scenes.
Movie Review: A Great Oldie -- But Is It An Edited Version?
Summary: 3 Stars
I could swear that there were a couple of different scenes when I saw this film in theatrical release.
There was at least one more scene in the Eiger Hotel where Pope confronts Eastwood, and Eastwood slams his hand in the door. That explains the extra irony when Eastwood later steps on Pope's hand in their outdoor fight, and Pope cries out "ow, my hand, my hand!".
Also, the scene where the little dog jumped into Eastwood's jeep in the desert was omitted in the original. Instead, when George Kennedy later informs Eastwood that the county sheriff has found Milo's body in the desert, he concludes with: "...and the damnedest thing..." "What's that?" "They say that he ate a dog" to which Eastwood returns his best insouciant smile. I could see that they might have taken that out for today's animal-rights PC-crowd. Which means that they must have filmed both versions and used the more rude one in the original release. Does anyone else remember it that way?
Anyway, the film is still a lot of fun, even if they took away some of its 70's edginess.
Movie Review: The Eiger Sanction
Summary: 3 Stars
My wife enjoys The Eiger Sanction far more than I do. I actually purchased the DVD for her. Although I'm quite fond of Clint Eastwood, there are many other movies I'd rather watch than The Eiger Sanction.
The photography from the American southwest is vastly better than the part of the film photographed in Europe, in my opinion. And Eastwood did his own mountain climbing in The Eiger Sacntion.
I'd far rather watch Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, or Sudden Impact (all for the 20th time or more) again rather than watch The Eiger Sanction for the third time. I'm afaid of heights, so this may have something to do with my non-interest in The Eiger Sanction. On the other hand, this is one of my wife's favorite Clint Eastwood movies. (The three babes closest to Clint in Play Misty For Me are much easier for a male viewer to look at and enjoy than either of the two women who Clint comes into contact with in The Eiger Saction. Myself, I'll take Donna Mills any day of the week!)
Andy McKane
Missoula, Montana