Sanction is Clint Eastwood’s fourth solo directorial effort after A Chill in the Night (1971), Man from the Plains and Breezy (1973). The filmmaker initially did not feel capable of directing the film and wanted his friend Don Siegel to direct. In the face of the latter’s refusal and a long discussion with him, “Clint” finally accepted the supervision of the project.
Former government agent Jonathan Hemlock (Eastwood) has become an art teacher. He sometimes plays hitman for a certain dragon and soon finds himself on a new mission: to find a professional assassin who is limping and plans to soon climb the Eiger in Switzerland. Reluctant at first, Hemlock allows himself to be convinced, as the price will be the Pissarro painting he has long wanted, and if he goes ahead, he will be reported to the tax authorities.
The plot of The Sanction is incredible – an assassin / collector and an art professor who is a mountaineer returns to work to kill an assassin who is also a mountaineer – but it is especially notable for its impressive climbing scenes.
Against the advice of the professionals hired on the set, Clint Eastwood refuses to dub the climbing scenes, which he decides to do himself, even though the Eiger peak, where the film climaxes, is almost 4,000 meters. Away! Despite extensive training, the actor is unable to actually climb it, as the Eiger is considered one of the deadliest climbs in the world.
Therefore, the team takes off by helicopter at 3,650 meters and then descends to reach the areas required for filming. On the other hand, Eastwood personally climbs Monument Valley’s “totem pole” in the middle of the film (1,713 meters). The site is heavily guarded, the La Sanction team was the last authorized to film there.
Sad shot
After two days of filming, Scottish climber David Knowles, aged 26, died in a rock fall from the Eiger, and Mike Hoover, the climber responsible for tracking the camera, was also injured in the incident and had to stop working. within 10 days.
After this tragic accident, Eastwood considered canceling filming, but a team of surviving climbers urged him to continue. Out of respect for the dangerous work already done for Knowles, the director will take their advice and continue filming.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
