Review of The Eiger Sanction (1975) by Robert R — 20 Aug 2017

Clint Eastwood action film from the mid-seventies based on the novel by Trevanian?

I'm reality the film looks like a cheap James Bond rip off more interested in visuals from locations like Monument Valley, Arizona, U.S and the Eiger mountain in Switzerland.

I am actually becoming quite fond of Clint Eastwood films in his capacity as an actor and director. On the whole I have found them entertaining however this film has some weaknesses that I will go into detail about now:

1. The screenplay is a blatant 007 RIP off. Eastwood plays an assassin/art collector who occasionally does work for a U.S. spy agency called C-2.

C-2 (not MI6 or the CIA) is masterminded by a Blofeld like character called Dragon.

Throughout the film there are sexist and to be quite frank mildly homophobic references that owe more to a Roger Moore 007 film.

I mean there is a 'camp' bad guy with a pet dog called Faggot.

2. The visual photography great as it is tries to cash in on spectacular action sequences in films like the James Bond franchise.

3. There are some quite weak plot holes that are due greater analysis.

We learn that Dr. Hemlock (Eastwood) has to kill a fellow unidentified member of a climbing team attempting to climb the Eiger. The only clue been that said member has a limp.

Eastwood/Hemlock fails to notice that not one member of the team has a limp yet the film has a good forty minutes to run.

George Kennedy is cast as Ben Bowman who trains Hemlock to be physically fit for the climb.

Bowman looks like he couldn't climb a flight of stairs!

The visuals of the film do save it from potential disaster. Think of a seventies version of Cliffhanger.

The stunt work (most performed by Eastwood himself) is good and worthy of credit.

Listen out for a John Williams music score. The only time he has worked with Eastwood I believe and the same year as his great work with Jaws.

A wasted opportunity perhaps.