The Eiger Sanction

release year: 1975
genre: action
viewing setting: home DVD, 8/29/09 and 10/30/03

synopsis: A retired assassin is persuaded to take one last sanction, on a perilous mountain-climbing expedition.

impressions: This was sort of a laid-back James Bond, without the gadgets or a huge menace. The protagonist is a former mountain climber who now teaches and collects rare paintings. He wants nothing more than to be left alone with all the money he's made in the past. There are a lot of very subtle espionage elements to be found here. Another plus are the mountain-climbing scenes - very breathtaking, very dangerous (a stuntman died while filming this movie.)

things to watch for: Any of the mountain-climbing scenes.

something this movie has that no other movie has: an annoying little dog named "F****t"

acting: Clint Eastwood does a great job as retired operative Hemlock, mixing calm coolness with action-as-necessary. George Kennedy is better than his usual self as an older expert climber who Clint turns to for training help. The guy who played the albino master spy was just weird. The owner of the abovementioned dog was just plain annoying. The flight attendant girl did a good job as a seductress/spy but didn't get enough screen time.

final word: Good mix of espionage and action, worth seeing.

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