Review of The Day of the Jackal (1973) by Indi V — 05 Sep 2014

This is how you make a suspenseful thriller! The film details the preparation an assassin goes through before he tries to take out his target: Charles De Gaulle.

The assassin, codenamed the Jackal, was played by a then unknown Edward Fox. Fox is perfect in the role. He is perfect as this enigmatic man who we know nothing about, and yet, not for one second do you doubt that this man is a professional.

For a film this long, the suspense builds beautifully because director Fred Zinnemann knows just what he's doing. The only downside is that observant students of history will know the outcome already (The film takes place in 1963. De Gaulle was president of France until 1969) Still, the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat, and constantly guessing as to who will outsmart who.

This is a darn good thriller and everyone who wants an edge of your seat ride should check it out.