This movie seems pretty influential to me; Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible 2 and Casino Royale/Quantum of Solace and the Bourne movies all seem to have taken something from this film.
Clint doing all his own stunts in real environments I think was pretty rare in the 70s as well. Look at the James Bond films from this time, entertaining as they are, to prove my point.
Highly underrated.
I think Clint's '70s films were tremendously influential for action films and thrillers in the '80s and beyond. His films were very gritty, but still quite polished and professional. They felt real. I've always preferred Dirty Harry and James Bond and the smart guys with their toys that followed, and would "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct" have existed had it not been for "Play Misty for Me"?
This isn't quite my favorite of Clint's '70s films, but it's extremely well made and entertaining, with snappy dialogue real stunt work that today seems to be replaced by gadgets and CGI.
Actually, the film offers some striking commentary about geopolitics and espionage, virtually deconstructing the celebratory James Bond myth.
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