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Amazon.co.uk Review
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 organisation 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
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Eastwood directs and stars in this unsubtle but still interesting mid 70's thriller. He is a retired assassin for a government agency, who is persuaded out of his art loving retirement for one last job. He, apparently, is also a retired rock climber, and therefore the only man for the job since his mark is one of a group of climbers about to climb the Eiger... but which climber is it..? We don't know. Well, in truth the whodunit is fairly easy to see early on, and the first hour is pretty mediocre 70's fayre.. It's once the climbing starts the tension starts racking up, thanks to Clint's insistence on both acting and directing on location and doing the stunts for real. Sadly, this was to lead to the death of one of the stuntmen climbers, who ironically had previously successfully climbed the Eiger.
Nobody really seems to be taking this seriously, least of all Clint as either actor or director, as the `plot' develops with many a 70's cliché.. girls with afros jumping into bed at the drop of a hat, random nudity, horribly stereotyped camp gay bad guy (who actually names his dog `faggot' in case you don't get the `subtle' clues) and George Kennedy, just to name a few. Eastwood forgets the slack first half once we get to the Eiger in the final section of the movie, and it's the tense climbing scenes rather than any intrigue or 70's styling you will probably remember after the lights come up. Also worth a note is a John Williams score which more than passes muster in setting the scene for that real 70's thriller feel...
Truthfully, Eastwood's indefatigable screen charisma makes this a 4 star movie, despite trying to convincingly play a `womanising-art-lecturer-retired-assassin-rock-climber `, which isn't a part one imagines one is asked to do very often.. However the very poor transfer - which is so bad in places you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a pirated copy - knocks a star off. It's in widescreen at least, but non anamorphic (meaning it's not designed for modern widescreen TV's and will appear as a letterbox in the middle of the screen, requiring some zooming in to fill out your screen), frequently washed out colours despite the gorgeous locales, and full of other imperfections. Watch the movie, the end is worth it - just try and find the remastered version which is out there somewhere..
Nobody really seems to be taking this seriously, least of all Clint as either actor or director, as the `plot' develops with many a 70's cliché.. girls with afros jumping into bed at the drop of a hat, random nudity, horribly stereotyped camp gay bad guy (who actually names his dog `faggot' in case you don't get the `subtle' clues) and George Kennedy, just to name a few. Eastwood forgets the slack first half once we get to the Eiger in the final section of the movie, and it's the tense climbing scenes rather than any intrigue or 70's styling you will probably remember after the lights come up. Also worth a note is a John Williams score which more than passes muster in setting the scene for that real 70's thriller feel...
Truthfully, Eastwood's indefatigable screen charisma makes this a 4 star movie, despite trying to convincingly play a `womanising-art-lecturer-retired-assassin-rock-climber `, which isn't a part one imagines one is asked to do very often.. However the very poor transfer - which is so bad in places you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a pirated copy - knocks a star off. It's in widescreen at least, but non anamorphic (meaning it's not designed for modern widescreen TV's and will appear as a letterbox in the middle of the screen, requiring some zooming in to fill out your screen), frequently washed out colours despite the gorgeous locales, and full of other imperfections. Watch the movie, the end is worth it - just try and find the remastered version which is out there somewhere..
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
`Does your physical disability preclude you from coming to the point?'
Just one of many classic one-liners delivered by a stone-faced Dr Hemlock. This movie has all the wit and sarcasm of a Dirty Harry classic, and all the adventure and stunning landscape of his westerns. An Art teacher by day, but retired government assassin by night, Dr Hemlock is brought out of retirement to sanction the two men involved in killing his friend. The first job was easy, but the second proves the real challenge. His employer knows only that the man is one of a group who plans to climb the Eiger Mountain in Switzerland, a mountain that nearly killed Hemlock the first time he tried to climb it. But the mountain is not his only adversary. One of his fellow climbers, who could well be someone he'll need to rely on when in trouble, is the one he must sanction. But which one is it?
The photography in this movie is stunning; emotive images of death-defying climbs from monument valley to the Swiss Alps. Some complain the movie is long and slow, but I watched the short version and then bought the full length DVD, which contained more excellent scenes that actually clarified some parts of the movie. So I would recommend you buy the full length version. You won't be bored, not for a minute.
Just one of many classic one-liners delivered by a stone-faced Dr Hemlock. This movie has all the wit and sarcasm of a Dirty Harry classic, and all the adventure and stunning landscape of his westerns. An Art teacher by day, but retired government assassin by night, Dr Hemlock is brought out of retirement to sanction the two men involved in killing his friend. The first job was easy, but the second proves the real challenge. His employer knows only that the man is one of a group who plans to climb the Eiger Mountain in Switzerland, a mountain that nearly killed Hemlock the first time he tried to climb it. But the mountain is not his only adversary. One of his fellow climbers, who could well be someone he'll need to rely on when in trouble, is the one he must sanction. But which one is it?
The photography in this movie is stunning; emotive images of death-defying climbs from monument valley to the Swiss Alps. Some complain the movie is long and slow, but I watched the short version and then bought the full length DVD, which contained more excellent scenes that actually clarified some parts of the movie. So I would recommend you buy the full length version. You won't be bored, not for a minute.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Although maybe not the greatest or most famous film title on Mr Eastwood's CV, this is a great little film, unpretentious and gradually thrilling as it picks up pace. After the first watch I don't really feel the need to see the first 45 minutes again, but the last half of the film is terrific. Real rock climbing and a bit of a twist make this a great Sunday afternoon kind of a movie.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Better and higher than the Eiger itself
Having been to Switzerland and witnessing the Eiger close up it was a pleasure to watch the film which was thrilling from start to finish. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Adrian Gibson
Terrible script, silly first half but stunning mountaineering...
The Eiger Sanction is one of those films with a high enough concept and a big enough star not to need to have a good script, which is lucky because despite the efforts of no fewer... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Trevor Willsmer
Big Clints No James Bond
Its been a very long time since I last saw the Eiger Sanction so when I saw it was available again I bought it from Amazon. Read more
Published 17 months ago by G. R. Donaldson
Hidden gem in the 70s movie vault
I really enjoyed this...classic Eastwood. Well directed, plenty of humour including one of the best put downs of all time from George Kennedy. All the action and intrigue is there. Read more
Published 20 months ago by slipperman
Better film than I remembered
I ordered this film purely to add to my collection of films shot at least partly in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland, but it's better than I remembered. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. Brian Bollen
Don't knock it because it's over 30 years old. People do that to me...
Yes, OK. You could read some of the previous reviews and be put off. If you're under 25 years old then fair enough, you might not like the 70's pastiche of music and clumsy dialog... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Richard H
The Eiger Saction & the then lovely Clint
I was prompted to buy this film after holidaying in Switzerland in May and seeing the Eiger on a beautiful sunny day. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mrs. Susan Johns
Good film- misleading DVD
Purchased this DVD recently and despite claiming on the rear cover that the film is presented in an anamorphically-enhanced 2.35:1 widescreen ratio, it in fact is not. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2010 by Dylan Provis
Jack Cassidy awesome.
The only good thing about this nonsense is Jack Cassidy's awesome performance , the mountain climing, scenery and George Kennedy's classic line "go and get yourself screwed lady ,... Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2009 by MrViewer
Eiger Sanction
We were advised to watch this before visiting Wengen (where the film is set) for a skiing trip. Although not as revealing about the resort as i expected it is a great film. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2009 by Simon Kincaid
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