SnoopyStyle It's 1936. The Eiger North Face is last unconquered challenge in the Alps. The Nazi propaganda machine wants it defeated by German climbers before the upcoming Olympics. Luise Fellner is a secretary working in a Berlin newspaper. She tells her bosses that she knows men who could do the climb. She, Andi Hinterstoisser and Toni Kurz are childhood friends. Hinterstoisser is eager to try anything. Kurz is more level-headed and refuses to do the climb. Luise goes along with her boss Henry Arau anyways to cover two Austrians making the ascend. Kurz relents and the two friends make the attempt.The relationship between Hinterstoisser and Kurz is great. The cynical sexist reporters are great. The romantic element isn't quite as compelling. I almost wish that part gets less attention after the climb starts although it's compelling to see the juxtaposition between the comfortable resort and the harsh climb. The climb up is harrowing. It treats mountain climbing seriously where rock falls causes real injuries. This doesn't feel fake except for the girlfriend.

dilipsant I couldn't sleep so I watched this movie, I really mean that this is the movie one should really watch to know what does it mean to climbing a mountain rather than reaching the summit.I watched some other mountain movies like "Touching the void" etc. But this is no1 till now. It really inspires you to do something.I like the guys approach towards the mountaineering, at times the summit was only 25% remaining and they decided to return because one of the fellow who was not even with them, was in bad shape.The movie is must watch for people who love climbing. Very nice direction and story telling.

gkrayden You'll be asking yourself "How did they do that?" Based on a true story about an ill-fated mountain-climbing mission to scale the north face of the Eiger in the Alps back in 1936, this is must viewing if you're a fan of man vs nature films. The climbing scenes are spectacular, brutal, and incredibly suspenseful. I loved this film, and I wished I had seen it on the big screen but I hadn't even heard of it before I saw it yesterday on Netflix. I can only assume it didn't get much of a push because the 2 lead characters are, well, Nazis -- albeit reluctant Nazis that don't care about the party at all, they just care about climbing and each other.They team with a pair of Austrian climbers halfway up the cliff in a harrowing battle for survival. Terrific drama and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Highly recommended.

secondtake North Face (2008)Well, this is one exhausting, harrowing, amazing experience on film. Even the actors, acting and not actually fighting for their lives, look like they've been through hell. The filming holds back nothing on the horror of being caught in a storm on the infamous North Face of the Eiger, in the Alps. These very talented, likable chaps (even though Germans just before WWII, yes), are up against it big time. And the movie makes the most of it.It's a simple story, and a simple structure, contrasting the comfortable press corps down below with their fireplaces and wine, against the men on the cliff, night and day. A woman and a love story are a part of it as we go, but this is more a love/hate story of men against each other, against themselves, and against the mountain, weather systems included. It's a relief to see a movie without heroes. There is a lot of heroism, for sure, and admirable human behavior up and down. But none of the throbbing music as one or the other of the men performs an impossible feat. This is about a real life and death confrontation, and breakdown, and impossibility. Well done, well done. High frustrating and nerve wracking to watch, but well done.