Country: United States
Genre: Action/ Suspense/ Satire
Director: Clint Eastwood
Year: 1975
Rating: 
WORTH A LOOK
The Eiger Sanction was Clint Eastwood’s fourth outing as a director, and it’s not one of his more impressive efforts. Espionage thrillers call for oodles of style, but the plodding, literal Eastwood just isn’t up for it. Actually, one gets the feeling that Eastwood has contempt for the genre, which isn’t a helpful attitude.
Retired assassin Jonathan Hemlock (Clint Eastwood) is pressured into taking on “one last job” for Dragon (an amusing Thayer David), the head of a secret intelligence agency. His target: someone on the climbing team for the north face of the Eiger, a climb which Hemlock, a mountaineer himself, has attempted and failed to scale twice.
But Eastwood really isn’t all that interested in secret agents and all that malarkey. He’s more interested in making fun of it.
Sometimes it works, as in the depiction of Dragon, the albino who runs the secret service. Eastwood has fun with Dragon’s office, a convincing parody of the elaborate lairs of the villains from James Bond films. Dragon himself is a humorous creation, with his elaborate elocution and raspy laugh. As an actor, Eastwood registers his trademark disgust at Dragon’s pretensions, which probably extend to the genre itself.
Unfortunately, Eastwood’s lack of respect for the genre result in the action setpieces being rather pedestrian and lacking in excitement. In fact, Eastwood’s direction is even pokier than usual, which is kind of deadly in this context.
Eastwood also indulges in some misogyny and homophobia. I didn’t mind so much when Eastwood tried on his gay accent when impersonating a courier, but the choice of making Hemlock’s nemesis, Miles Mellough (Jack Cassidy), a stereotypical poof is a little distasteful. I also cringed a little when Hemlock tells Jemima Brown (Vonetta McGee) to pick up a twenty in the ashtray on her way out after he’s slept with her.
I’ll admit though, some of the gags were amusing. I enjoyed Hemlock’s training sessions with the mute George (Brenda Venus), especially her unique way of encouraging Hemlock when he’s tuckered out.
The main problem with The Eiger Sanction is that it all doesn’t amount to much. The satire merits the occasional chuckle at best. The action scenes are perfunctory. The pace is leisurely, even geriatric.
If you’re a huge fan of Clint Eastwood, you might want to check it out. Just don’t expect much.
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