The Day of the Jackal
by Fred Zinnemann
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alan Badel, Edward Fox, Michel Auclair, Terence Alexander, Tony BrittonDirector: Fred Zinnemann
Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
Cinematographer: Jean Tournier
Editor: Ralph Kemplen
Producer: David Deutsch
Producer: John Woolf
Producer: Julien Derode
Writer: Frederick Forsyth
Writer: Kenneth Ross
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 143 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1998-04-29
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of The Day of the Jackal
Movie Review: The coldest villain in the hottest thriller...
Summary: 5 Stars
The coldest villain in the hottest thriller...
When Frederick Forsyth's 'The Day Of The Jackal' first hit the shelves, it became an instant classic. It reached such popularity that a movie was but a natural consequence. Movies have never faithfully reproduced the core essence of books simply because of the minute details only a book could offer. Try showcasing The Iliad in 3 hrs!
But the movie version of The Day of the Jackal far exceeded expectations. Not only does it stick to the original plot but also even to this day, it sets the benchmark for how spy thrillers should be.
If you haven't read Forsyth's epic yet, then let me clue you in. General Charles De Gaulle was considered a hero amongst his men when he fought for the liberation of France from the Germans in WWII. After becoming France's President, the same hero was considered a 'betrayer' after granting Algeria independence. A clandestine group in the Army, calling itself the 'Secret Army Organization' or OAS for short, launches a series of assassination attempts on De Gaulle, only to see each one destroyed by the highly informed and efficient French Secret Service. After the capture of its key lieutenants and its presiding leader, things become desperate for the OAS. It's new leader in hiding, believes that a foreign assassin of exceptional caliber is the only means left to dethrone De Gaulle. The assassin is known only by his code as "Jackal". This way the entire security network would be crippled for want of the man's identity. If you don't have a name, you don't have a face. If you don't have face?.... you don't exist. You are untraceable.
The premise is simple enough. It is how the Jackal plans and executes his operation that takes the bulk of the movie. The Jackal is a man of perfection and his attention to detail is something to be seen. A slight lapse in secrecy by his employers alerts France to begin searching for him, though they have no idea who or what he is. The job of finding him and 'disposing' him off in total secrecy falls into the unwilling hands of a simple French Detective. It is how these two protagonists move forward at breakneck speed in achieving their goals that takes the movie to a truly riveting, thrilling finale.
Edward Fox as the Jackal is beyond doubt, the coldest, most ruthless assassin to date. Fox is perfect for the role. His dull cowering gaze is chilling. From a staid English gentleman to a remorseless killer, Fox displays tremendous versatility and poise. Every action of his has a meaning and behind an immediate plan, he has a backup. Such is Fox's repertoire in impersonating as the Jackal. When I read the book, midway through it, I was actually rooting for the assassin. I felt the same way when watching this movie though I knew the end. To my knowledge, very few actors have so far delivered such a convincing negative-role performance than Fox.
Michael Lonsdale as the quaint Detective Lebel is probably the most "uncharacteristic" hero in any movie. He isn't your be-all end-all savior, with hands of steel and body of a superman. He does not fit into a mould which you can distinguish as "Okay, I know this kind of a guy..." and that itself is a tribute to this superb actor. He displays coolness in equal measure to the Jackal and comes across as a shy and timid man. In short, he acts as, just a detective doing his duty. His character is one of intelligence, resourcefulness and humility on one side with a quiet steely determination and resolve on the other. And Lonsdale is magnificent in displaying all of these aspects.
Together these two protagonists take an already exciting thriller to an explosive finale that is hard to imitate.
The rest of the cast add a lot of depth and meaning to their respective roles and each character has a major part in pushing forward the story to its worthy conclusion.
In short, The Day of the Jackal is a masterpiece. Considering the movies we watch today, this is slow paced, but with reason. Cheap thrillers always show you how a character dies from the bullet of an assassin but never the preparation for doing so. The Day of the Jackal shows you just how the assassin comes to that point of success. From the assassin's meticulous planning to his ultimate execution of that fatal shot, the movie shares the same perfection. Director Fred Zinnemman has set the standards for future thrillers by foregoing flashiness and instead focusing on the core issues of the book. He remains loyal to it and displays a rare cinematic flair that is very hard to beat. And do not mistake this movie to the recently released "The Jackal" featuring Bruce Willis and Sydney Poitier. One movie is a disappointment while the other is a
Watch Fox and Lonsdale square off each other....
Watch The Day of the Jackal in all its glory.........
Summary of The Day of the Jackal
AN ASSASSIN TARGETS THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE IN THIS TENSE FREDERICK FORSYTH THRILLER. FEATURES PRODUCTION NOTES, TALENT BIOS, FILM HIGHLIGHTS, AND TRAILERS.With its high-intensity plot about an attempt to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle, the bestselling novel by Frederick Forsyth was a prime candidate for screen adaptation. Director Fred Zinnemann brought his veteran skills to bear on what has become a timeless classic of screen suspense. Not to be confused with the later remake The Jackal starring Bruce Willis (which shamelessly embraced all the bombast that Zinnemann so wisely avoided), this 1973 thriller opts for lethal elegance and low-key tenacity in the form of the Jackal, the suave assassin played with consummate British coolness by Edward Fox. He's a killer of the highest order, a master of disguise and international elusiveness, and this riveting film follows his path to de Gaulle with an intense, straightforward documentary style. Perhaps one of the last great films from a bygone age of pure, down-to-basics suspense (and a kind of debonair European alternative to the American grittiness of The French Connection), The Day of the Jackal is a cat-and-mouse thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until its brilliantly executed final scene (pardon the pun), by which time Fox has achieved cinematic immortality as one of the screen's most memorable killers. --Jeff Shannon
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