EPISODE 12: CLINT CATCH UP (PART 2)

Greetings once again you eager seekers of Eastwood knowledge…. well maybe not knowledge so much as an opinion by an insane dork… yeah that sounds about right.

Anyway, we are back with more category catch up and we have 1 more category to complete. We will be diving back into the topic of the very first installment, “Strange Place, Familiar Face”, as there were two films neglected foolishly by yours truly.

The two films covered in this section of “Clint Catch Up” are unique in the respect that they each carry the burden of very peculiar settings, plots, and/or characters. Both somehow represent just how Clint is able to utilize his presence to sell you on a crazy journey.

Interestingly, one of these films also will observe the unavoidable fact that not every Clint Eastwood film is above aging beyond its abilities given the changes of the world.

So lets look at the two remaining films in “Strange Places”, where we examine John Malkovichs concern for a duck and a climbing expedition in the Alps.

IN THE LINE OF FIRE
3 outta 4 Presidents Saved

IN THE LINE OF FIRE marks the final time until TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE where Clint was directed by someone other than himself. This outing is helmed by Wolfgang Peterson, who’s style in this film I can only describe as “Excitingly Eccentric.” The film has Clint playing a Secret Service agent who was once on the job protecting the president, who returns to that position after receiving mysterious threats against the current president from an assassin who calls himself Booth.

The film operates on a level of emotional weight involving Clints character having failed to properly protect JFK, thus leading him down a dark road to personal redemption. While it isnt the deepest Clint has dug, he pulls it off with his usual grace in these particular films. The film moves efficiently thanks to Petersons direction and it is definitely a blast to watch for the performances, particularly from John Malkovich as Booth. The one thing that is extremely evident in the film, is watching Clint move through it with his ease, you can tell that he is pretty much done (at least until Trouble With The Curve) taking direction from others.

THE EIGER SANCTION
2 outta 4 Mountains

Where… where to begin. Well if I were to pitch this briefly to you, THE EIGER SANCTION is a movie where assassins fight each other while climbing the Swiss Alps. Fun, right. Well yes and no. Theres no denying that the film is well directed by a then “fresh to directing” Clint, with his visual acumen soaring to new heights with his direction on the many scenes with mountain climbing and high level terror. Sadly though, this is a well grilled hot dog that is wrapped around a stale bun of exposition and plot (yeah, I did a Hot Dog metaphor and I’m not proud of it). The conceit of the exhilarating events in the Alps involves an obvious “James Bond” style set up of a Assassins society that features a eccentric and often annoying set of side characters, other than George Kennedy of course.

Thus it takes us much too long to dive into the events that frankly are the selling point of the experience. It’s also interesting to point out that this film has aged rather terribly in regards to its content and situations regarding the B-Plot and individual scenes. To say its a bit cringing is an understatement and it makes Dirty Harry look like a saint in comparison. This isnt so much a flaw as an observation and worthy of note if your going in for a revisit. It is VERY MUCH of its time. Still, it may be worth it to observe the unique direction and cinematography that Eastwood pulls off here in the latter half of the film.

——–

There.. now we caught up with the ever in momentum Mr Eastwood. In the next article we will be exploring Clints non- Dirty Harry cop roles.