Clint Eastwood’s unofficial James Bond movie is on TV tonight

As the casting of the next James Bond dominates discussion, there's no better time to check this out.

In the film, the Hollywood legend plays Hemlock, a retired government assassin persuaded into returning to his deadly profession to avenge the murder of an old friend. As part of this, the assassin must join a crew of explorers on a trip up the Eiger, a treacherous Swiss mountain.

"Hemlock must simultaneously determine which of his fellow climbers is a Soviet spy, kill his target and scale the deadly peak," the plot synopsis adds.

Co-starring George Kennedy (The Naked Gun) and Vonetta McGee (Blacula), The Eiger Sanction was based on the novel of the same name by Trevanian, the pen name of writer Rodney William Whitaker.

Though Trevanian wrote the book as a spoof of James Bond-style spy thrillers, Eastwood chose to adapt the story in a less overtly comic manner.

Watch the trailer for The Eiger Sanction here

You'd think this wouldn't work. Yet, the movie's blend of exotic locations, compelling spy intrigue, over-the-top villains, and stellar action sequences (Eastwood did nearly all his own stunts) makes it a must-watch for 007 fans.

The Eiger Sanction is airing on TV tonight/tomorrow morning on the channel Legend Xtra at 12.05am. The film is also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video and the Sky Store.

Here are the other movies on TV tonight (Saturday, 14 November):

For more recommendations like The Eiger Sanction, check out this JOE list of all the movies on TV for each night of the week.