Never read the Trevanian novel in which the film is based. We also didn't see this 1975 film that showed up recently on cable. This was one of the first movies directed by Clint Eastwood, easily one of the best and more interesting directors working today. It is a thriller of the first order that gets the viewer involved from the start. The locales Mr. Eastwood and his collaborators chose to base the action are the real stars of the movies. What about Monument Valley and the Eiger Mountain in the Bernese Alps, difficult places in which to shoot a film, even in those pre-everything special effect of most movies these days.
The story is a classic tale with a lot of twists and highlights. The plot is enough to confuse a viewer not paying close attention. There are also a few holes in the story, but what the hell, this is an action adventure at best and just looking at those breathtaking sequences in Utah, or in Switzerland is not for the feint hearted fans. The basic achievement of Mr. Eastwood is that his film doesn't look fake at all. One wonders how the director was able to do all the feats that are so vivid in the finished product.
Mr. Eastwood makes the perfect hero, Dr. Jonathan Hemlock. George Kennedy is effective as Ben Bowman. Vonetta McGee plays Jemima Black, a name that showed no political correctness to the author of the novel, or the director. The late Jack Cassidy appears as the effete Miles Mellough, no doubt a stretch for this actor, lap dog and all.
John Williams is the composer of the fine soundtrack of the film. Thanks must go to the editor, Ferris Webster, for his fine job of getting all the elements in place. Frank Stanley photographed the amazing backgrounds to give us a magnificent trip to the places where the action takes place. Ultimately the credit for making the movie the pleaser it is goes to Clint Eastwood, a genius of the American cinema, bar none!
The story is a classic tale with a lot of twists and highlights. The plot is enough to confuse a viewer not paying close attention. There are also a few holes in the story, but what the hell, this is an action adventure at best and just looking at those breathtaking sequences in Utah, or in Switzerland is not for the feint hearted fans. The basic achievement of Mr. Eastwood is that his film doesn't look fake at all. One wonders how the director was able to do all the feats that are so vivid in the finished product.
Mr. Eastwood makes the perfect hero, Dr. Jonathan Hemlock. George Kennedy is effective as Ben Bowman. Vonetta McGee plays Jemima Black, a name that showed no political correctness to the author of the novel, or the director. The late Jack Cassidy appears as the effete Miles Mellough, no doubt a stretch for this actor, lap dog and all.
John Williams is the composer of the fine soundtrack of the film. Thanks must go to the editor, Ferris Webster, for his fine job of getting all the elements in place. Frank Stanley photographed the amazing backgrounds to give us a magnificent trip to the places where the action takes place. Ultimately the credit for making the movie the pleaser it is goes to Clint Eastwood, a genius of the American cinema, bar none!