The Eiger Sanction (4 Stars)

Jonathan Hemlock was one of the top assassins for a secret American organisation called C2. The kills were called sanctions, which was short for government sanctioned executions. Now he's over 40, so he's retired and works as a college art professor. In the summer break he's summoned back to C2 headquarters. They want him to perform one last sanction. The target is a mountain climber, and he is to be executed while climbing the north face of the Eiger, one of the world's most treacherous peaks. Jonathan is the only suitable assassin for the job, due to his experience as a mountain climber in his younger years. They arrange for him to get back into training so he can join the team for the climb.

This is a film that was loved by the public and hated by the critics. I found that after a slow start it was thrilling, as soon as the climbers were in the mountains. However, there is one question I have to ask: what was the point of killing someone during a mountain climb? Why not just wait till he comes back down from the mountain, worn out, then put a bullet through his head? The only reason for this is to give an excuse for the high altitude excitement.

Nevertheless, I have great respect for Clint Eastwood, who both directed the film and played the leading role. He refused to use a body double for himself, so he learnt mountain climbing a few months before the filming. The mountain scenes were filmed at 12,000 feet, only 1,000 feet below the Eiger's summit. It was an achievement in itself getting the cameras up to that height. The cameramen were all experienced mountaineers. The film wasn't made without tragedy. On the second day of the filming one of the crew was killed by a rock fall. That's a high price to pay for a film.

I've always admired Clint Eastwood as an actor, ever since he appeared in the spaghetti westerns of the 1960's. To me he had a lot more depth of character than other western stars like John Wayne. On the other hand, I don't understand why he has so much success as a director. That's his main job today, but I consider him average at most. In my opinion this film, "The Eiger Sanction", is the best film that he's directed. Despite the illogical mountaintop assassination plot.