The Eiger Sanction Is a Tough Climb

The Eiger Sanction (1975). This action thriller, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, follows a former assassin who is coerced into one last mission. There is some talk about recovering a germ warfare formula, but the mission is really about revenge. Two bad agents kill one of ours, so a shadowy U.S. agency wants them sanctioned--which is apparently code for eliminated. Eastwood's ex-killer now teaches art at a college (!) and wants nothing to do with this tit-for-tat until he's told the identity of the deceased agent.

Jack Cassidy as a villain.

Based on a novel by Rodney William Whitaker, The Eiger Sanction can't overcome a poorly-written screenplay and an opening half-hour of mostly filler material. The plot finally perks up when Eastwood's out-of-shape assassin starts training to climb the Eiger mountain in Switzerland in preparation for his mission. These scenes benefit from the casting of George Kennedy and Jack Cassidy in familiar roles (Kennedy as Eastwood's old pal and Cassidy as a slimy villain). Both actors were frequently stuck in these kinds of roles, but still--somehow--managed to deliver entertaining performances.

Vonetta McGee--wasted as Clint's gf.

Clint plays a softer variation of Dirty Harry, though he's more interested in the opposite sex. Indeed, the film's portrayal of women and the sexist attitudes toward them may be a little jarring for modern audiences. Part of that can be attributed to the decade when The Eiger Sanction was made--though there were strong female characters in Black action films like Cleopatra Jones and Coffy. To his credit, Eastwood starred in The Enforcer the following year with Tyne Daly as Dirty Harry's gritty partner.

There are thrilling scenes in the final third of The Eiger Sanction, as Eastwood's assassin scales the title peak while trying to figure out who to kill. However, the climax is such a letdown that I didn't realize it was the climax until John William's closing music started to play. (Incidentally, the dreadful score proves that the great John Williams was only human after all.)

Overall, The Eiger Sanction ranks as one of Eastwood's least interesting 1970s films. It's recommended for Clint completists only.