Review of The Day of the Jackal (1973) by Sarah H — 23 Sep 2007
A real slow burn of a thriller. Although there's not much action, the suspense is taut as the French police race to stop a master assassin from killing General de Gaulle. The best part of the film is the detail, from the construction of the Jackal's gun to the records the police pour through for his faked identity. It's the sort of thing we didn't see much in cinema before the Bourne movies came around.
Yes, it's a slow film, and yes, it has the typical detachment of late '60s/early '70s British cinema. But there's also a wealth of great British and French talent here, from Edward Fox as the titular killer to Derek Jacobi in a very early role and Michael Lonsdale in an unusually understated performance (for comparison, see "Moonraker"!).
An intelligent thriller of a high order. Well worth seeking.
This review of The Day of the Jackal (1973) was written by Sarah H on 23 Sep 2007.
The Day of the Jackal has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
