On The Eyrie Canal

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2010)

I'm not usually a fan of the Boy's Own Paper school of action movies but I will go anywhere to see (and hear) Richard Burton even when he's in typical Aleister McClean pap as in this case. Burton single handedly elevates this airport-fiction-for men into a higher realm and having Clint Eastwood on board does absolutely no harm at all. If you've seen (or read) one McLean film/novel you have, of course, seen/read them all because it's twelve-to-seven it will involve a group of disparate characters on a dangerous mission where at least one will be a Nazi spy/Russian agent take your pick. It's not difficult to imagine the talks Burton had with his agent/Production company: 'It's your mission, Richard, should you choose to accept, to take this piece of crap and elevate it to Mont Blanc status using nothing but your magnificent voice and outstanding acting ability'. Accept he did, and carry out his mission successfully he did in spades. Nuff said.