Paul Newman to star in The Eiger Sanction
Well here’s an interesting little snippet spotted by our good friend Richard DuVal. Richard spotted this recently in an old trade paper and indicated that Paul Newman was at some point very interested in playing the role of Dr. Jonathan Hemlock in The Eiger Sanction. I’m not sure why Newman didn’t follow this through or why he changed his plans? However, I’m certainly glad that Clint picked it up. I still think it remains a great movie from his 70’s body of work.
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It has long been known and reported (in Richard Schickel's 1996 biography of Eastwood, for example) that Newman had rejected "The Eiger Sanction." But this archival find suggests that Newman had either temporarily accepted the part before ultimately declining it or that he was so close to accepting the role that the Hollywood trades jumped the gun. Either prospect is illuminating and ironic.
With Newman in the leading role, "The Eiger Sanction" would have proved totally different, mainly because Eastwood would not have been the director. Eastwood's direction, especially his insistence on location shooting and authentic mounting climbing sequences, earned the film its greatest points of distinction. One senses that as a Newman vehicle, "The Eiger Sanction" would have proved much more insular and visually conventional, more of a traditional espionage film than the wondrous cinematic experience that it becomes courtesy of Eastwood's direction. And Eastwood's physique and athleticism as an actor also helped orient the movie towards its stunning naturalism.
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