The Day of the Jackal (1973)

As Good As It Gets

Absolutely brilliant

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Director Zinnemann succeeded in striking exactly the right note : his movie contains enough documentary (or pseudo-documentary) aspects to make a realistic impression, while telling a suspenseful and exciting story about the progress of an unusually competent, unusually deliberate criminal.Edward Fox gives a fine and well-measured lead performance. Every now and then he lets his character's bland and inoffensive mask slip, deliberately, so that one gets a tiny glimpse of the moral abyss inside, but he is wise enough to let his character's actions speak for themselves. This is a good decision, since any attempt at a psychologically profound and searching portrayal would throw the rest of the movie out of kilter. (Both movie and source novel focus on the mechanics of an international man hunt, rather than on individuals and their psyches.)The movie's budget was used wisely and well, and the location scouts knew their stuff. As a result the viewer is swept along in a varied and colourful tour of Europe, ranging from top secret briefings in London and emergency staff meetings in Paris to amorous escapades in countryside châteaux. So this is a pretty good movie. About the only aspect that annoyed me was the profusion of languages and (pseudo-)accents : English, French, Frenglish, Angelench, and so on. It was as confusing as the Tower of Babel disaster, especially since the use of these various tongues did not seem to be ruled by narrative logic. (If my memory serves me well it's a phenomenon similar to that seen and heard in "Where eagles dare", where everybody speaks everything and anything, all the time.)Fun note : watch out for the scene where the Jackal gets his just rewards. His body is thrown against an unfortunate piece of architecture. The said piece of architecture moves and shakes, visibly. Aaah, the tender walls of France, they're so sensitive !

I was very excited to finally watch The Day of the Jackal, especially with the top reviews and Edward Fox in the lead role. I know this will draw many people who disagree, and that's fine, free speech and all, but my review is politically incorrect because I wasn't drawn into the movie.It was hard to find anyone in The Day of the Jackal who spoke with a French accent - it got quite confusing. I mean The French Connection had more people speaking French! Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, especially as I guess in Valkyrie hardly anyone spoke German! At least in Allo Allo, some of the performers had French accents, even if they weren't French.The pacing was sort of okay, but still, it could have been better paced. The ending was rather poignant, especially with the Jackal being buried in an unmarked plot.

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 the best way forward now. 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 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, 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 fascinating 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 focused 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

Intelligent thriller(directed by Fred Zinnemann) based on Fredrick Forsythe's novel about professional assassin the Jackal(Edward Fox, quite good) who is hired by enemies of French president Charles De Gaulle to assassinate him, despite being the most closely guarded man in the world.Engrossing thriller shows his careful research of his target, and how he prepares himself and comes up with a "foolproof" plan to kill him, and how, despite the outward appearance of an English gentleman, will still ruthlessly kill anyone who gets in his way, but of course history records a different outcome, which lends the right amount of truth to this examination of the case, even if the Jackal himself remains a mystery.