Based on the best selling Frederick Forsyth novel, 1973's THE DAY OF THE JACKAL is one of the most suspenseful thrillers of all time.
Edward Fox stars as The Jackal, a British assassin hired by French resistance to kill Charles de Gaulle.
Cutting a fast, silent path on his way to the assassination, the Jackal leaves no witnesses in his wake.
Michael Lonsdale (Moonraker) stars as Lebel, the detective leading a massive pursuit of the Jackal.
With tight direction by Fred Zinnemann (High Noon, Oklahoma) this is an exciting film from start to finish, building throughout its nearly 2.5 hour running time to an explosive climax.
Fox is perfect as the Jackal, oozing charm under disguise and cold blooded murder in the blink of an eye.
The early 1960's setting is well captured.
It's not easy to make the detective work behind preventing an assassination exciting, but like "In the Line of Fire", this delivers.
Ignore the horrible, pale 1997 remake "The Jackal" with Bruce WIllis and Richard Gere, its a mess.
Stick with this original.
One of the best films of the seventies, in my all time Top 100, The Jackal is on target and gets an A+.
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