The Eiger Sanction (1975)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Rod Whitaker (novel)
Hal Dresner (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 May 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

HIS LIFELINE - held by the assassin he hunted.

Plot:

An classical art professor and collector, who doubles as a professional assassin, is coerced out of retirement to avenge the murder of an old friend.

Plot Keywords:

Art | Mountain | Mountain Climbing | Professional Assassin | Climbing

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 16

12:15 PM

MAX

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Dr. Jonathan Hemlock
George Kennedy	...	Ben Bowman
Vonetta McGee	...	Jemima Brown
Jack Cassidy	...	Miles Mellough
Heidi Brühl	...	Mrs. Anna Montaigne
Thayer David	...	Dragon
Reiner Schöne	...	Karl Freytag (as Reiner Schoene)
Michael Grimm	...	Anderl Meyer
Jean-Pierre Bernard	...	Jean-Paul Montaigne
Brenda Venus	...	George
Gregory Walcott	...	Pope
Candice Rialson	...	Art Student
Elaine Shore	...	Miss Cerberus
Dan Howard	...	Dewayne
Jack Kosslyn	...	Reporter

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:AA (original rating) | Australia:M | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Brazil:14 | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1975) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Carmel, California, USA

Company:

Jennings Lang

Trivia:

Clint Eastwood went on a three-day climbing course in Yosemite National Park, then practiced at home for several months.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Hemlock meets Dragon, Dragon's right contact lens has moved to the bottom right of his eye in one shot.

Quotes:

Miss Cerberus: I was expecting you before this. Mr. Dragon does not like to be kept waiting.
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: Oh, the impatient albino.
Miss Cerberus: I don't think Mr. Dragon's affliction is a joking matter.
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: I thought it was rather humorous, myself. A spy network being run by a bloodless freak who can't stand light or cold.
Miss Cerberus: Or germs. Are you healthy?
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: Should I turn my head and cough?
Miss Cerberus: No known infections?
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: Nothing other than the usual, syphilis, running sores, and the clap.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Crawling Eye (#2.1)" (1989)

Not the most memorable Eastwood movie but still splendid

The fourth movie Clint Eastwood directed was called "The Eiger sanction". Man had already practiced directing with a fabulous jealousy thriller "Play Misty for me", eccentric western "High plains drifter" and "Breezy" - his first film only behind the camera. "The Eiger sanction" is definitely a fine, entertaining and effective classic, no doubt, but it has never been Clint's most memorable movies. It usually lefts unmentioned in all of the documentaries about the man and people don't usually consider it to be all that important work when it comes to his long and sensational career. I just bought the Dvd and all I can say is these facts don't make it a bad film, hell no. "The Eiger sanction" most definitely works, but I guess it especially works if you're a true Eastwood fan. I am so I guess it's hell of a lot easier to love it. "The Eiger sanction" is a little slow-paced thriller but the idea is interesting enough to make the film exciting and stylish. John Williams composed the fabulous score and Clint himself did lot of the mountain climbing stunts. It's also true that "The Eiger sanction" really has that tiny James Bond -feeling in it. All I can say is, watch the film if you get your chance to do so.