This is surely the most unusual title in Clint's extensive catalog. Like so much of his output that seems uneven, politically incorrect and blisteringly mediocre strangely this will probably be highly compelling to fans, though the casual viewer may find THE EIGER SANCTION utterly boring, prolonged and inconsequential.
Clint plays an assassin who otherwise spends his time as a curly, unhelpful art professor. During the title credits, a colleague is killed and Clint must avenge the death by climbing the face of the Eiger Mountain in Switzerland. A typical espionage-movie double cross occurs at the end. That's pretty much it, though we meet with many interesting characters like Clint's Blofeld-type 'M', David, a reclusive albino. There's also liberal sexual repartee and double entendre with the obligatory nudity and sex scenes.
The supporting cast are very lively and fun. The photography of the ascent is well-paced and composed with very little or no rear projection: the cast it seemed actually climbed part of the mountain. Indeed, one man died during the Eiger filming - an accomplished and professional mountaineer - and the director of photography was seriously injured.
Like so many of Clint's films, you wonder what the movie would have been like without him. We don't know why we love Clint, we just do. THE EIGER SANCTION certainly doesn't feature the man's best acting. More often than not, however, his very presence is enough.
Clint plays an assassin who otherwise spends his time as a curly, unhelpful art professor. During the title credits, a colleague is killed and Clint must avenge the death by climbing the face of the Eiger Mountain in Switzerland. A typical espionage-movie double cross occurs at the end. That's pretty much it, though we meet with many interesting characters like Clint's Blofeld-type 'M', David, a reclusive albino. There's also liberal sexual repartee and double entendre with the obligatory nudity and sex scenes.
The supporting cast are very lively and fun. The photography of the ascent is well-paced and composed with very little or no rear projection: the cast it seemed actually climbed part of the mountain. Indeed, one man died during the Eiger filming - an accomplished and professional mountaineer - and the director of photography was seriously injured.
Like so many of Clint's films, you wonder what the movie would have been like without him. We don't know why we love Clint, we just do. THE EIGER SANCTION certainly doesn't feature the man's best acting. More often than not, however, his very presence is enough.