Amazon.com reviews for
The Eiger Sanction (1975) More at IMDbPro »

Eiger Sanction (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Clint Eastwood plays James Bond in some unlikely mid-1970s casting. Eastwood directed himself as an art teacher (!) who is actually a government operative (!!). But when an American agent is assassinated in Europe, he's called out of retirement to put the hurt on the men who did it. Based on a novel by Trevanian, the film winds up with Eastwood climbing a mountain in Switzerland and playing a game of kill-or-be-killed with one of his targets. Some decent action, but also a lot of filler. Still, the cast includes George Kennedy and the late Jack Cassidy, whose sharklike smile was perfect for playing a professional killer. --Marshall Fine

The Eiger Sanction (dvd):

Amazon.com video review: Clint Eastwood held the dual role of director and star of this 1975 spy thriller, which makes up for sluggish pacing with a breathtaking climax on a treacherous peak in the Swiss Alps. The plot kicks into gear when Eastwood, playing a retired assassin, is recruited back into a secret organization to avenge the murder of an old friend. He's then blackmailed into making a second "hit"; this time his target is one of three men who will be attempting to conquer the Eiger, a dangerous peak in Switzerland. Himself an accomplished climber, Eastwood's character joins the expedition with George Kennedy as leader of the ground crew. Shifting loyalties, apparent betrayals, and paranoid suspicion factor into the suspenseful climax on the sheer face of the mountain. This memorable sequence--for which Eastwood performed his own mountain-climbing stunts--is effectively intense, built on a standard plot of double-cross and intrigue that was intended to combine Eastwood's screen persona with the global adventure of the James Bond films. For the most part it works--it's not one of Eastwood's better films, but it's got some first-class thrills (and a sly performance by Jack Cassidy) to grab and hold your interest. --Jeff Shannon