The Eiger Sanction (1975)

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.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Hal Dresner (screenplay), Warren Murphy (screenplay),

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, George Kennedy, Vonetta McGee

Cast

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

Storyline

Jonathan Hemlock is an art history professor and collector who finances his hobby by performing the odd sanction (assassination) for an obscure government bureau. He is forced to take a case where he must find out which of the members of a mountain climbing team is the Russian killer he has been given as a target by joining an expedition to climb the treacherous Eiger.

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Plot Keywords:

mountain | climbing | mountain climbing | art | professional assassin | 

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Taglines:

HIS LIFELINE - held by the assassin he hunted.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 May 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Im Auftrag des Drachen

Filming Locations:

Carmel, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 1,554,575 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Malpaso Company, The, Jennings Lang, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally intended as a vehicle for Paul Newman.

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Goofs

Hemlock loses his ice axe on the mountain, but it is visible strapped to his pack as he hands in front of the railroad tunnel window later.

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Quotes

Ben Bowman: What got into Jean-Paul?
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: I don't know. A little jumpy, I guess.
Ben Bowman: You been jumping his wife?
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: No, why?
Ben Bowman: You sure?
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: Well, I think it's something I'd know.

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Connections

Referenced in The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009)

User Reviews

Great climbing sequences make this hidden gem worth watching!

Clint Eastwood stars as a former government assassin turned art teacher who is blackmailed into coming out of his retirement to pull off a difficult last job. A former colleague has been murdered. Eastwood will climb the Eiger face and kill the assassin along the way. The only problem is he isn't sure which of the three other climbers is his target.

'The Eiger Sanction' is very much a product of the 1970's, and comes from a difficult grey area of Eastwood's career. He was transitioning between Westerns and Dirty Harry and films like 'The Eiger Sanction' got lost in the mix. On the surface the film is a spy thriller, or a gorgeously shot mountain climbing/survival film. I think it doesn't get enough credit for being very tongue in cheek. It gently pokes fun at both Eastwood and 70's action movies -- Clint giving a female student a playful pat on the rump, the foxy brown flight attendant/girlfriend, and of course "damn that Brando" when Clint's Native American trainer pushes him too hard. Throw in the promiscuity and the way homosexuality is dealt with (rival gay hit-man with the little dog) and the film runs pretty nicely as a satire.

'The Eiger Sanction' is really about the third act though where the climbing takes place. Brilliantly photographed, I didn't find much not to enjoy about this film. Quite possibly the best climbing film that I've ever seen and it is certainly superior to things like 'Cliff Hanger' or 'Vertical Limit' -- which owe a great deal to 'The Eiger Sanction.' Clint Eastwood has acted in better movies and he's directed better movies. That said, this one is an unpolished gem and worth taking a look at if the opportunity arises.