Dr. Jonathan Hemlock (Clint Eastwood), is an art professor, expert mountaineer, and a retired government assassin. He has a passion for pieces of art, mostly stolen pieces smuggled into the country, which he has paid for through the money he has saved from his previous killings (called sanctions). After years away from the assassin business, he is called upon to return to work by an ex-Nazi called "The Dragon" (Thayer David) who threatens to turn over information about Hemlock's illicit art collection to the IRS if Hemlock refuses. The target is a mountain-climber about to attempt to climb the Eiger in Switzerland and Hemlock is the only assassin with the necessary mountain-climbing skills to do the job. Hemlock at first refuses but eventually agrees and goes to train with his friends Ben Bowman (George Kennedy) and Jemima Brown (Vonetta McGee). Bowman joins the assassination team and together they set out to the Eiger. Hemlock finds the target of his mission, but it is not the one he had expected.