The Day of the Jackal

Starring:Edward Fox, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair, Alan Badel, Tony Britton, Denis Carey, Adrien Cayla-Legrand, Cyril Cusack, Maurice Denham, Vernon Dobtcheff, Jacques FranÃ§ois, Olga Georges-Picot, Raymond GÃ©rÃ´me, Barrie Ingham, Derek Jacobi, Michael Lonsdale, Jean Martin, Ronald Pickup, Eric Porter, Anton Rodgers
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Like The Original.......2007-06-15

What a great film. It's thoroughly enjoyable to watch the incredible lengths that the film's heroes and anti-heroes go through to achieve their objectives. And more impressive is the film's precise relevance today, in our age of terrorism, even though it was released 35 years ago. An eerie tale, to say the least.

The cast is superb from top to bottom, and the director and editors deftly let you into the minds of both the Jackal and the Inspector ... keeping you fully engaged with each one's strategies and skills.

The Day of the Jackal.......2007-06-08

This is a great movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Excellent spy thriller!.......2007-05-03

A very unassuming, yet highly intelligent, French investigator is put to a true test of mind games when a skilled killer is hired to assassinate President Charles De Gualle (Adrien Cayla-Legrand). Edward Fox plays a very slippery assassin who stays one step ahead of the French Police. A fast-paced spy thriller that is well made.

Chrissy K. McVay - Author

A true classic. One of the best of its kind........2007-04-02

The Day of the Jackal is one of the best action-suspense films ever made! It's nothing short of brilliant and it's something of a hidden treasure. Movie buffs know the movie but, sadly, it doesn't get the sort of mainstream recognition of even a mediocre thriller like The Fugitive for instance.

What's fantastic about Jackal is that it works within the realm of possibility. The Jackal, a British contract killer hired by the OAS to assassinate Charles De Gaulle, is cunning, effective, sharp, but human; not the near super-human killers of movies of the last 20 or so years.

The drama builds and never relents. This is an extraordinary feat considering that the assassin's target is a real historical figure who was never assassinated.

All the main characters were terrifically portrayed. If there is a shortfall, it is that the French characters have British accents. This detracted a bit from the realism. It's a minor criticism, one that is all but swallowed by the strengths of the movie.

This is a must see. Even if you're not a fan of the so-called "spy fiction" genre, you'll enjoy the intrigue, suspense or, in the least, all the wonderful shots of Italy and France.

1963 France.......2007-03-15

This movie is a top notch, tense political thriller, set in the era of Charles de Gaulle's ruled France of the early 1960's.

The fine British actor Edward Fox brilliantly portrays the cold hearted hired assassin called 'the Jackal' by the French police.

Michel Lonsdale as 'Lebel' is superb, as is Alan Badel as 'The Minister', coupled with Michel Auclair playing the part of 'Colonel Rolland'. The rest of the cast is equally casted, all doing a great job.

This movie is very realistic.

The French Citroën DS, Charles de Gaulle's official head-of-state automobile, is an additional 'actor' in this picture.

Best Film (win) - Fred Zinnemann - 1973 British Academy Awards
Best Editing (win) - Ralph Kemplen - 1973 British Academy Awards
Best Picture - Drama (nom) - - 1973 Golden Globe
Best Director (nom) - Fred Zinnemann - 1973 Golden Globe
Best Screenplay (nom) - Kenneth Ross - 1973 Golden Globe
Best Editing (nom) - Ralph Kemplen - 1973 Academy

Renowned French film composer, Georges Delerue (1925-1992) composed an edge-of-your-seat score.

The Bourne Identity (1988) [Richard Chamberlain / Jaclyn Smith]

Average customer rating:

Bourne is a lot nicer than in the book.

The Bourne Identity (1988) [Richard Chamberlain / Jaclyn Smith]

Manufacturer: WARNER VIDEO
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Bourne is a lot nicer than in the book........2005-06-24

This is an intriguing movie and it will hold your attention from beginning to end. The plot is well conceived and there are no holes to drive trucks through. They could not have picked better actors for the characters. They may not match the descriptions in the book; but this is not a book.

An introductory scene with a body (Richard Chamberlain) sinking slowly in the water. It may have a few holes in it. It is found and unceremoniously dumped at the door of a doctor (Denholm Elliott). As he recovers from his wounds we realize he has amnesia. People are out to kill him. He had a capsule embedded in his body that contained what looks like a code. He must find out how he is and why people are out to get him. In the process it looks more and more that he is a well known terrorist.

The Bourne in the movie is much nicer than the book version. You have to make allowances for the transformation to the screen. However he does a lot more borrowing instead of stealing and is not as vicious with people on his travels.

Average customer rating:

Nothing Like The Original
The Day of the Jackal
Excellent spy thriller!
A true classic. One of the best of its kind.
1963 France

The Day of the Jackal [Region 2]
Starring: Edward Fox , Terence Alexander , Michel Auclair , Alan Badel , and Tony Britton
Director: Fred Zinnemann
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Odessa File
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Eagle Has Landed
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express
The Counterfeit Traitor

Accessories:

Ladder Boss 90202 Tool Bag

ASIN: B00005225B

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Like The Original.......2007-06-15

The Day of the Jackal.......2007-06-08

This is a great movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Excellent spy thriller!.......2007-05-03

A true classic. One of the best of its kind........2007-04-02

1963 France.......2007-03-15

Average customer rating:

Nothing Like The Original
The Day of the Jackal
Excellent spy thriller!
A true classic. One of the best of its kind.
1963 France

The Day of the Jackal [Region 2]
Starring: Edward Fox , Terence Alexander , Michel Auclair , Alan Badel , and Tony Britton
Director: Fred Zinnemann
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Odessa File
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Eagle Has Landed
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express
The Counterfeit Traitor

ASIN: B000056CS3

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Like The Original.......2007-06-15

The Day of the Jackal.......2007-06-08

This is a great movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Excellent spy thriller!.......2007-05-03

A true classic. One of the best of its kind........2007-04-02

1963 France.......2007-03-15

Average customer rating:

The Day of the Jackal [Region 2]
Starring: Edward Fox , Terence Alexander , Michel Auclair , Alan Badel , and Tony Britton
Director: Fred Zinnemann
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000056FLX

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