“The
Day of the Jackal” is a crime drama, screenplay by Kenneth Ross, based on the
Novel by Frederick Forsyth and Directed by Fred Zinnemann.
The
story is set in France during the early 1960s and centres around a professional
assassin codenamed “Jackal” (Edward Fox) who is contracted by the OAS to
assassinate General De Gaulle and follows his meticulous preparation including
target practice, false identity, forged documents and weapons purchase.
But the authorities become aware of the target and the Minister of the Interior
(Alan Badel) assigns the mission to locate the Jackal to his best investigator,
named Lebel (Michael Lonsdale) and he is assisted by Caron (Derek Jacobi) as
they attempt to pick up his
trail.
The film is a brilliant thriller lavishly produced by John Woolf, full of
action, tension, and intrigue which holds your attention from beginning to the
end.
Apart from the principles there is an all star
supporting cast: Michel Auclair, Cryil Cusack, Maurice Denham, Eric Porter,
Timothy West, Ronald Pickup, Donald Sinden, Edward Hardwicke, Andrea Ferreol,
Feodor Atkine, Howard Vernon, Olga Georges-Picot and Delphyne Seyrig.
The film is beautifully photographed by expert
cameraman Jean Tourneir, with a suspenseful and atmospheric musical score by
George Delerue.