The Eiger Sanction

Clint Eastwood held the dual role of director and star of this 1975 spy thriller, which makes up for sluggish pacing with a breathtaking climax on a treacherous peak in the Swiss Alps. The plot kicks into gear when Eastwood, playing a retired assassin, is recruited back into a secret organization to avenge the murder of an old friend. He's then blackmailed into making a second "hit"; this time his target is one of three men who will be attempting to conquer the Eiger, a dangerous peak in Switzerland. Himself an accomplished climber, Eastwood's character joins the expedition with George Kennedy as leader of the ground crew. Shifting loyalties, apparent betrayals, and paranoid suspicion factor into the suspenseful climax on the sheer face of the mountain. This memorable sequence--for which Eastwood performed his own mountain-climbing stunts--is effectively intense, built on a standard plot of double-cross and intrigue that was intended to combine Eastwood's screen persona with the global adventure of the James Bond films. For the most part it works--it's not one of Eastwood's better films, but it's got some first-class thrills (and a sly performance by Jack Cassidy) to grab and hold your interest. --Jeff Shannon

1 MOUNTAIN CLIMBING FOR DUMMIES
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.

2 Hemlock
Now did he throw six snowballs or was it only five? To tell you the truth, I kinda lost track myself in all this boredom.

Hemlock? Leave it out. Whose called Hemlock? Do I look like a Hemlock? Yeah, more like Jack Crabsbelow. How many people have surnames that fit their chosen profession? George W Blunder. Pamela Airhead? Actually, I do recall a dog-catcher named Jackie Russel. Bang goes another smartypants review.

3 I Wanted to Like it More....
Every Clint Eastwood fan will grin at the witty one-liners and sit on the edge of the seat for the mountain climbing sequences - very thrilling.

But the plot, acting, and the tempo of the film fall short of the high quality of Eastwood's best work.

This will kill a couple of hours on an airplane or in a terminal but won't remain long in the mind as a memorable film or performance. Thank goodness he went on to act and direct bigger and much better films.

4 The Eiger Sanction
I purchased the Eiger Sanction, at Amazon.ca; unfortunately, when I began to play, it wouldn't play; it became stuck in the drawer of the DVD player.
I had to return the player to its vendor, Canadian Tire, in Montreal, where the wonderful people there, took the player apart, and gave me a new one, under the warranty.
So, consider this a warning to Amazon.ca, check each copy of the Eiger Sanction, before it is sold, for myself, I returned my copy, and will never order it again, unless you check it first.

5 The reasons why
There are several reasons I like this movie. 1) Trevanian wrote the book (trashy, pulp spy fiction...great for a mindless romp into the 60's), Clint Eastwood is in it (not the greatest actor, but he's got a good track record, and he enjoys the craft) 3) The Eiger has always intrigued me 4) I used to climb (age has curtailed my abilities) and 5) My 3rd cousin (Heidi Bruhl) is in it, albeit she plays a trampy wife, but she's my 3rd cousin nonetheless. I like Lee Marvin "flicks" too, my taste in music is much better. Oh sure I enjoy the Hamlets, and Much ado's etc... but we're talking American genre "flicks", not works of cinema etc... flicks.. you know EZ rider, Bronson movies stuff like that. That said... (SERIOUSLY) I remember a climbing book about the making of this movie... and the technical challenges for making some of these scenes on cliff faces and on the Eiger itself were well documented. The challenges were overcome, which and certainly took a bit of skill and logistics to pull it off. Not bad for a "B" movie as described by several reviewers... taking everything into consideration this movie was quite an undertaking, Eastwood didn't write it, he just made it happen. Guy flick? okay, whatever.

6 Clint Eastwood is my idol
And when I grow up I wanna be just like him. Doesnt everybody?

7 My 'superior' wants to see you!
Eastwood sarcastically answers "Well that doesn't narrow the field much, does it?".

The plethora of wity expressions & humor in this fantastic spy thriller makes it amgonst other things really a classic. It was made back in the 70's when men were men and women were named 'buns' How some of us miss those days....sigh ;-)

But wait, you get lots lots more! There is breathtaking cinematograqphy ranging from an assination in Zurich to incredibly realistic mountain-climbing footage from Southern Utah and the Swiss Alps.

Provided that one tries not to take this movie dead seriously, this classic will provide you with great entertainment. It might to be fair to say this movie might be more appealing a male gender audience.

8 Dr. Hemlock...I Presume???.....
This review refers to the Universal DVD edition of "The Eiger Sanction".....

Dr.John Hemlock(when Clint gets a name in a movie it's really a doozey!)...Professor of Art,Collector of Fine Paintings,handsome,has a weakness for beautiful women...and oh yeah...Assassin! But don't worry he works for the government. His superiors may be dangerous,they may be insane, but hey, they're on our side! Well.. maybe!

When our agents are being killed by the other side, Hemlock is coerced out of his retirement to "sanction" these killings. Or in a word..REVENGE! He is reluctant but when he learns one of the killings was of his friend, he dons his assassin outfit and goes back to work. The outfit is mountain climbing gear. The killer he is after is one of a party of climbers who will tackle "The Eiger" a dangerous peak in the Alps. Which one is the killer? That's for our guy Clint to figure out.

Although an intiguing mystery with some wonderful cinemagraphic scenes of the desert and the Alps,this one is not the usual above average to excellent film we are usually treated to by Eastwood. It's a good story, but at times slow(for an Eastwood flick) and somewhat predictable.

Eastwood directed as well as stars and by the way did all of his own climbing and stunts(gotta give him credit for that).
It also stars George Kennedy,Vonetta McGee, and Jack Cassidy.
The music by John Williams is one of the best parts of this film. It adds just the right flavor to this Europeon adventure.

It may not be one of Clint's best, but it's still an Eastwood film,an intriguing story, and worth the view. And being that it is and Eastwood film, I felt the DVD transfer deserved better.
First of all the sound...Dolby Dig 2.0 MONO! What's up with that? The picture, presented in widescreen(2.35:1)looked good in most of the outdoor scenes(although a bit grainy), but some of the indoor scenes were dark and undistinguishable.The colors looked almost artificial(I can hardley bring myself to talk about it) The special features are in the form of production notes, telling about how Clint did his own stunts, etc. There is captioning for hearing impaired viewers, which is nice and clear and is in the black bar area, and there are subtitles in Spanish and French.(it may only be viewed in English).

If you are are collector of all things Clint(like me), at this price you may want to add this one to your collection until a better edition comes along, if not and you just want to check it out, maybe renting it first may be better.

Universal.....please update this for Clint fans!..Thank you...
enjoy....Laurie

9 Terrific Eastwood Spy Thriller!
In a stunning and abrupt departure from both his very successful "Dirty Harry" and "Any Which Way But Loose" franchises, Clint Eastwood extended his range of genres to include the spy thriller with this deft adaptation of the best-selling Trevanian novel of the same name. In fact, quite little is changed in this taut and thrilling tale of a once famous mountaineer and retired government assassin turned college art history professor who is forced back into the "sanction" business both by personal greed and crude manipulation by the spymaster of the clandestine government agency that requires his services.

An American courier has been killed in Copenhagen, and he happened to an old friend of professor Jonathan Hemlock (Eastwood), who is seduced back into harms way by "Control", an albino ex-Nazi who now heads one of our most clandestine federal agencies. Before long Hemlock is on his way to sanction one of the two assailants, and the chase is on. By dint of coincidence, Control discovers that the other assailant is included in an international mountaineering party, which will assault Switzerland's "Eiger" the coming summer. Naturally, Hemlock is manipulated into preparing for the climb as a replacement climber.

Once we finally make it to the mountain, the action is literally non-stop, quite accurate technically, and absolutely riveting to behold. As with previous sequences shot in the American southwest, the cinematography is superior, and the plot unfolds in a quite plausible and inevitably tragic fashion with no one necessarily spared as the frenzy reaches its natural conclusion. This is a terrific action film, with a great supporting cast that includes George Kennedy, Jack Cassidy, and bodybuilder Dan Howard in a bit role.
This is great entertainment, and illustrates why Eastwood has been such a consistent box office draw for over forty years. Enjoy!

10 Clint Gooood Movie Baaaaaad
Clint Eastwood is just perfect in his role as Hemlock, and delivers some great one-liners, sexual innuendos and sucker punches. Although there are promises of interesting dynamics between the characters, this movie can't ever seem to get off the ground, and it becomes rooted in cliche and plot devices that are now very very outdated. The film plods along- just like when you see one of those Robert Ludlum books on the shelf at your local Goodwill and think -- it may be only 99 cents but I can't waste 700 pages of good reading time on this pap. A hokey musical score helps none, and the mountain photography is nothing compared to what's been done since. The big plot "twist" ain't so good either. Basically, for Clint fans only -- and even then it's a chore.

11 This is an assassination film in more ways than one...
Though this is, indeed, an Eastwood film, it is, uncharacteristically for Eastwiood, based on a book. The book is, of course, far, far better than the film, but for a quirky, off-beat bit of casting against type, this is a nice bit of fluff. The book wasn't, of course, but as Eastwood seems to have found it impossible to transmit very much of the book's richness of narrative and subtext onto the screen, what can one expect? The best scene is when Eastwood says, "Freytag! You aaaaaaaaaasshoooooole!"

12 Classic Eastwood Flic, w/ much more
This is the peak of Eastwood in his earliest prime. Perhaps a bit tacky in some ways, but intentional tackiness is always a good for a laugh. When one mixes Eastwood's sense of humor with some of the absolute finest (and REAL) mountaineering sequences ever filmed, you end up with the Eiger Sanction.

If you've got 2 or 3 good friends, spend a Saturday afternoon watching this film over a few beers. Enjoy it for what it is. Learn some of the funniest lines in film history, such as: "Does your physical condition preclude you from getting to the point?"...

Eastwood insisted on doing all his own climbing scenes, and this was one of the reasons he ended up the director: No one else would do it! Moreover, one of the technical advisors, a world class climber, much respected among mountaineers, was killed during production on Eiger. This film was no laughing matter to those who created it.

All in all, one of my favorite Clint Eastwood films, and one of the finest... and funniest.. mountaineering films of all time.

13 Vintage Clint all the way
I've seen this movie at least 30 times since 1975, and it remains one of my favorite of his films. Yes, it's a little cheesy (as many 70's movies were), but it's a very fun movie, quite different from his usual performance as a cowboy or cop. It was filmed during Clint's heyday of the 1970's, when he was the coolest/toughest guy on film. The entertainment value is top-notch, and it's definitely a must-have for all true Clint fans.

14 Decent thriller, Great Climbing Movie!
As a thriller, the 'Eiger Sanction' is just ok. It is a pretty faithful adaptation of Trevanian's bestseller from 1972. It stars Clint Eastwood as Dr. Johnathan Hemlock -- an ex-climber now art professor who does occasional asassinations for a secret US agency to pay for his art collection. He takes on one last job to pay for a Pissaro he desperately wants; but it requires that he get out his old climbing boots. He'll have to do the job while climbing the north face of the Eiger -- certainly one of the most dangerous climbs in the world.

I'm not completely sure of this, but I believe that this movie was also Clint Eastwood's directorial debut. He not only stars in it, but he produced and directed it as well!

Ah, the glorious 70's! The clothing, the hairstyles, the attitudes towards women, etc. It is quite fun to watch and chuckle at now. Hemlock is a kind of James Bond-ian super hero. Remarkably gifted not only at killing bad guys but also at bedding beautiful women, enjoying fine wine and food, and being an art expert. The story ofen requires you to suspend your sense of reality and to have a bit of a sense of humor. If you enjoy these kinds of thrillers, you'll definitely enjoy this one.

What sets this movie apart for me is the many climbing sequences! I am an avid climber and I know of no other 'Hollywood' movie that does as good a job as this one at showing real mountain climbing. The climbing scenes in the 'Eiger Sanction' are breathtaking and quite realistic. The scenes on the Eiger were actually filmed on location on the Eiger Nordwand itself! Remarkable! Apparently Clint is/was a bit of a climber himself, and took great pains to portray the climbing in as realistic a light as possible. Three cheers for Clint! On a sad note, one of the stuntmen/riggers was killed while filming the scenes on the Eiger.

Most other mass-market climbing films completely ruin the climbing scenes to make them more dramatic or exciting (Vertical Limit, Cliffhanger, K2, etc.); or are documentaries trying to cash in on the current Everest fever (and are more interested in the 'death zone' aspect of high altitude climbing than actually showing real climbing).

Bottom line for me: I bought this VHS for its depiction of the climbing more than the story line. However, it's also a pretty decent thriller as well as a fun trip back to the early 70's.

15 Ok, if you are a Clint fan
Truth is: I've bought this DVD as a gift for my boyfriend, because he's a Clint fan...
The movie in my opinion is laughable and outdated... If you like breathtaking views and a not-so-good plot, go ahead and indulge.

16 Adventurous Eastwood...
"The Eiger Sanction" stars Clint Eastwood as Jonathan Hemlock, a college professor of art, experienced mountain climber and ex-hit man for "C-2", an agency of the US Government. C-2 is headed by an albino named "Dragon", who wants two enemy agents "sanctioned" (killed). Hemlock agrees to perform the hit, going to Zurich to do the job. The execution is very messy, hardly what one would call "professional", but the job gets done. Dragon still wants the second agent eliminated, but C-2 is having trouble pinpointing the identity of the target. What is known is that the man will be part of an upcoming international climb of the Eiger, a mountain in the Swiss Alps.

Hemlock needs to get in shape for the climb. His training takes place out west, at a climbing school run by Ben Bowman (George Kennedy) an old climbing buddy. Hemlock's training is complicated when Miles Mellough (Jack Cassidy) arrives on the scene. Mellough betrayed Hemlock years before, nearly costing him his life. This time Miles takes a trip he won't return from.

Trained and ready, Hemlock arrives in Switzerland with Bowman, prepared for the climb, and his mission. The team includes three other climbers, one of whom is supposedly the target to be "sanctioned". One climber must continually ask silly questions any experienced climber would know the answers to, so the audience can become informed about the common practices of mountain climbing. Once the climb begins, we are treated to some magnificent scenes in the mountains. To my untrained eyes the scenes look very realistic, and are the best the movie has to offer, as they transition from climbing bare rock to snow covered rock faces. While they climb, Hemlock attempts to zero in on his target, and find the one he has to kill. The mountain does his work for him, as the Eiger proves to be too much for the team. Accidents and bad weather add up to disaster for all but Hemlock. C-2 is satisfied that the mission has been accomplished, but they don't know the complete truth.

While The Eiger Sanction is not a great movie, Clint Eastwood makes an excellent Hemlock, and the scenes of mountain climbing, both in America and Switzerland do make the movie worth viewing. Eastwood should also be applauded for his efforts to bring realism to his role when it came to doing his own stunt work. He also directed this feature, which is another of the challenging films he did in the 70's.

17 sweeeeet
DUUUDE!! This movie is so cool. OK, this one was directed by dirty harry himself, and as such its so funny to watch. Clint Eastwood, perhaps one of the lankiest and funkiest-looking action stars ever gets in the sack with extremely hot girls for no apparant reason, beats [...] people twice his size, and has more "I'm a raw [...]" one-liners than I have ever seen in a movie. Aside from that, it does well from the technical climbing perspective in that it didn't show all that much of the gear. In fact, the only obvious farce was when he was supposedly leading a sandstone pillar somplace in the southwest US, he was shimmying up a chimney on a top-rope. Not possible, but oh well. The movie has some really nice shots during the actual Eiger climb, and the green pastures so many thousands of feet below are a very nice touch. Reminds me of how it really feels to be that high off the ground on the end of a skinny rope. Good stuff man, two thumbs up!

18 words and info the interest, not the action
This action movie struck me as more of a political intrigue. Most of the plot developments revolve around discovering information as to an assasain's identity and how Clint is going to kill this person. It keeps you in doubt the entire time, and the answer presents itself far differently than you might expect. If you watch this movie, I don't think it would have much appeal unless you keep in mind that Clint's character is trying to avoid being 'owned' by a government agency, where the mere information they have on his work as an assasain can destroy his freedom and carear. When you discover who killed who, why and how, you will see what I mean when i say that the interest in this movie derives more from the political machinations rather than the action involved.

The other dimension one will enjoy is the one liners and wit by the characters. At one point, Prof Hemlock (Clint's character) says something like,"What will our country come to with Pope's and Dragon's running it?" both of whom are actualy character names, which affords a nifty pun.

19 One of the best climbing films ever
This movie has some of the best vintage climbing footage ever. Clint's "training" climb in Utah is really fun to watch. It is a peek back in time at a sport that has evolved rapidly over the past 20 years. Hob nail boots, "bongers", manky pitons, and hemp rope make for some real nail biting footage. Clint leads a fantastic stemmed chimney (while on top rope?) were the camera man uses some ground breaking rope work.

The footage of the Eiger is passable. It is interesting seeing what was considered cutting edge climbing back then. The pitches they were climbing would be considered novice routes today, provided the weather held.

Plot? Who cares! It is classic Eastwood, full of meaningless one-liners. He's always retired from something, isn't he? One of my favorites. Got to love those bathing beauties at his buddy's "swinger's ranch"!

If you're a climber or an Eastwood fan, you MUST check this one out! If you're not either, then odds are you won't appreciate it.

20 Clint Eastwood!
I don't like to give too much of the story away when I tell people about films I've seen or that I really like, and this review won't be an exception. Eastwood is blackmailed into an assasination on a mountain called the Eiger, that's as much of the plot as I think you need know, unless you've seen it of course, in which case you know what will happen. If you haven't seen it then you are missing out. The mountain climbing sequences are fantastic, and I think this story suits Eastwoods direcing style perfectly. It is kind of slow and plods along at times, but I like it that way. The story is textured and the conclusion is pleasing. This is classic Clint Eastwood, that's as much as anyone needs to know really. The special features are pretty poor, no documentary of any value, and it would be nice to hear Clint talk us through his film, you get standard early Universal DVD features instead. The transfer isn't great and the picture is grainy at times, but this is an older film, and I would have liked a remastered soundtrack in 5.1 Dolby digital, but nevermind. I'm contented enough just to have this film on disc. So should you be!

21 Action in the Swiss Alps...
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.

22 Another great guy movie!
I guess I ought to be ashamed of how much I enjoy this movie. But, I am not ashamed, and a really do enjoy this movie.

A relatively young, and satiny-smooth Eastwood is the killer for hire, who avenges the murder of U.S. government agents. He also happens to be a world class mountain climber and an art expert. Conned into coming out of retirement, he takes one last job for $100,000 (and the chance to avenge a friend). Being Clint, he kills the bad guys, survives himself when none others could, and of course gets several girls.

Great cinematography. The scene where Eastwood and George Kennedy scale the unconquerable pinnacle is stunning. One cannot always tell in that scene what was "real" and what was actually a set up. The final shot of that portion of the movie, when a camera obviously set in a helicopter moves away from the height and showing them sitting (and obviously heavily strapped to the top) is stunning. Watching the final quarter, shot on a mountainside, makes one actually feel cold.

The movie is also incredibly sexist. Having said that, I must acknowledge that it also has two positively gorgeous women: Vonnetta McKee (for some reason given the moniker "Jemimah Brown" - spare me!) and an otherwise unknown Brenda Venus (only named "George").

Not thought provoking, not "deep". Just a good show.

23 "Where Eagles Dare" is a great flick...check it out
I haven't seen the Eiger Sanction. I just can't stand idly by while someone slags off "Where Eagles Dare". It's a brilliant film. Disregard any twaddle posted here to the contrary, Top 500 Reviewer or not. Too bad it's not out on DVD.

24 One of the Manliest Movies of All Time
All right.

With tongue firmly in cheek, let me say that the other reviewers of this movie have got it all wrong. "The Eiger Sanction" has got to be one of the all-time great "guy" films (I refer you to the "Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness" here on Amazon.com for more information on those two). Yes, for Saturday-night-with-the-boys viewing, this is one of the classics. Here are ten reasons why:

1. Clint the Glint...need I say more?

2. Incredibly realistic mountain-climbing footage, from Southern Utah to the Swiss Alps, all shot on location, with none of the ridiculous fakery found in farces such as "Cliffhanger".

3. A plot that makes James Bond seem believable, starting with a combination art expert/mountain climber/CIA assassin and going forward from there.

4. Fantastic scenery shots, including George Kennedy and Clint on top of a sandstone pinnacle (I'm sure George really climbed it...yeah, right).

5. A cool resort compound (actually filmed at the lodge in Zion National Park, Utah).

6. Well-timed 70s nudity (in other words, totally unnecessary).

7. An albino (!) "establishment" guy, (CIA leader) and his wonderfully despicable sidekick, just waiting for Clint to kick around.

8. Astounding political incorrectness, including a character named "Jemimah Brown", another one known simply as "Buns", and much, much more.

9. Fantastically quotable manly lines, for example "Assassins get assassinated, and that ain't in my game plan", or "There's a twenty on the dresser by the bed", etc., etc., etc.

10. Clint even glints at a little dog...really!

I could go on and on.

All kidding aside, I love this movie! Just don't plan on taking it too seriously.

25 A complete miss.
While Clint Eastwood struggles to find cinematic identity in the post Spaghetti Western and pre-Dirty Harry times, the movie goer is forced to endure a number of incarnations, notably the Good (Play Misty for Me), the Bad (Where Eagles Dare), and the Ugly (The Eiger Sanction).

Actually Dirty Harry had been released before any of these films, but I couldn't resist.

Another poorly adapted (nee Where Eagles Dare) novel, this film would serve as only marginal TV-movie fare today. With supporting stars George Kennedy and Jack Cassidy, this big screen version feels much like a TV-movie anyway.

Beautiful Swiss landscapes can't prop up a weak whodunit, diluted even further by time-capsuled character types and sexual innuendo.

There are probably 40 better Eastwood movies than this one.

26 Classic Clint less the typical killing-poor audio (mono)
If you're a Clint Eastwood fan, it is another must have, but with the video's mono 2 channel sound track, the DVD "experience" is a little diminished.

Play Misty for Me