The Day of the Jackal (1973)
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Starring: Edward Fox, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair
Synopsis:
The radical French group OAS seeks to assassinate President Charles de Gaulle, but are too heavily infiltrated by the government to launch a successful attack, so the leaders of the group recruit an outsider going by the codename Jackal to do the job.
Impressions:
I've seen the Bruce Willis film The Jackal before without realizing it was a remake of this film. If you're like me, a number of the scenes you'll recognized because they were lifted with little alteration. The time and the setting are quite different, though, and that really does make a big difference in a film like this. I can't say I was to familiar with the historical backdrop beforehand, but the movie prompted me to do some research and it's rather interesting stuff.
As for the movie itself, even if you have a knowledge of history that tells you how it has to end, it's nevertheless rather tense as you watch the cat and mouse game between the Jackal and the ace detective on his trail. Murphy's Law strikes at both sides to keep the tension up.
If you like thrillers and want to see somebody take a shot at de Gaulle, this movie's for you.
Rating:Watch It