Action

Thriller

The Day of the Jackal

Universal Productions France

Warwick Film Productions

John Woolf Productions

France

United Kingdom

Français

Italiano

English

Edward Fox

Terence Alexander

Michel Auclair

Alan Badel

Tony Britton

Denis Carey

Cyril Cusack

Maurice Denham

Michael Lonsdale

Vernon Dobtcheff

Jacques François

Olga Georges-Picot

Raymond Gérôme

Barrie Ingham

Delphine Seyrig

Derek Jacobi

Jean Martin

Ronald Pickup

Eric Porter

Anton Rodgers

Adrien Cayla-Legrand

Donald Sinden

Jean Sorel

David Swift

Timothy West

Bernard Archard

Jacques Alric

Colette Bergé

Edmond Bernard

Gérard Buhr

Philippe Léotard

Maurice Teynac

Van Doude

Nicolas Vogel

Féodor Atkine

Albert Augier

Madeleine Barbulée

Jacques Brunet

Raoul Curet

Madeleine Damien

Yvonne Dany

Nicole Desailly

Max Faulkner

Robert Favart

Andréa Ferréol

Gilberte Géniat

Edward Hardwicke

Jacques Hilling

David Kernan

Robert Le Béal

Roger Lumont

Mike Marshall

Max Melloy

Jean Michaud

Bernard Musson

André Penvern

Pierre Risch

Liliane Rovère

Bernard Spiegel

Jacqueline Stanbury

Guy Standeven

Michel Subor

François Valorbe

Howard Vernon

Nicholas Young

Fred Zinnemann

Frederick Forsyth

Kenneth Ross

Jean Tournier

Georges Delerue

Pierre Berroyer

Ralph Kemplen

Margot Capelier

Jenia Reissar

Joan Bridge

Rosine Delamare

Elizabeth Haffenden

John Rosenberg

Gladys Goldsmith

Catherine Prévert

Jean Zay

André Domage

David Harcourt

Georges Iaconelli

Cliff Richardson

John Richardson

Wally Veevers

Nicholas Stevenson

Ludovic Paris

Barbara Ritchie

Julien Derode

David Deutsch

John Woolf

Henri Jaquillard

John Palmer

Andrew Marton

Louis Pitzele

Peter Price

Alain Bonnot

René Albouze

Ernest Archer

Robert Cartwright

Pierre Charron

Wally Hill

Willy Holt

Cliff Robinson

Bob Allen

Gordon K. McCallum

Graham V. Hartstone

John Hayward

Guy Delattre

Jean Fontanilles

Colin Manning

Vic Smith

René Strasser

Edmond Séchan

George Higgins

Marcel Durham

Simone Escoffier

Van Jones

George Arnell

Paul Tivers

Chacal.

The Day of the Jackal is directed by Fred Zinnerman and adapted to screenplay by Kenneth Ross from the novel of the same name written by Frederick Forsyth. It stars Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair, Alan Badel, Tony Britton and Denis Carey. Music is by Georges Delerue and cinematography by Jean Tournier.

As the French political climate reaches boiling point over the Algeria situation, underground organisation the OAS plot to have President Charles de Gaulle assassinated. When an attempt fails the OAS members not caught are exiled in Vienna and decide that bringing in an outsider to kill the President is now the best way forward. That outsider is an Englishman, code name The Jackal, a methodically cunning and deadly assassin.

Wonderful, the kind of character driven thriller that has become in short supply over the last couple of decades. It’s all so simple, even sedate, yet this calm approach serves the plotting perfectly. After the initial set ups we follow The Jackal (a super icy turn by Fox) on his mission to kill General de Gaul. His planning, the people he meets, and the people he has to kill to stay one step ahead of the authorities. From cons to weapon smuggling, to disguises and sexual encounters, it’s thoroughly compelling from Jackal’s story arc alone, but the frequent shifts to the hunt for him by a whole ream of suits and detectives is also gripping and suspenseful viewing.

Backing Fox up is a raft quality performers, a cast very much in tune with the material to hand. Delure’s musical composition is purposely of the minimalist breed, Tournier’s photography is period compliant and smooth, while Ralph Kemplen’s excellent editing was rightly nominated for an Academy Award. Zinnerman does sterling work from the director’s chair, amazingly keeping a two and half hour movie free of extraneous scenes or pointless exposition. Everything is relative, it really is a film to stay focussed with, to give it respect by giving it your undivided attention. So go the bathroom before sitting down to view this truly great and smart thriller. 9/10 

CinemaSerf

A sophisticated adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's thriller about an Englishman codenamed "the Jackal" (Edward Fox) who is hired to assassinate Charles de Gaulle, the President of France. His meticulous planning remains almost undiscovered until the redoubtable "Inspecteur Lebel" - played by the always under-rated Michael Lonsdale manages to piece together enough information to get on his tail. A workmanlike ensemble cast give extra weight to the lead performances in this intriguing and well put together Fred Zinnemann film. It's huge advantage as a story is it's simplicity - and here we get a drawn into the cat and mouse game unsure who will win right til the very end.

The Day Of The Jackal (1973)

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The Day of the Jackal

Cast & Crew

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Cast

Edward Fox

Terence Alexander

Michel Auclair

Alan Badel

Tony Britton

Denis Carey

Cyril Cusack

Maurice Denham

Michael Lonsdale

Vernon Dobtcheff

Box office

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