- DIRECTOR:
Fred Zinnemann
- ACTORS:
Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale, Derek Jacobi, Michel Auclair, Alan Badel, Tony Britton, Terence Alexander, Denis Carey, Cyril Cusack, Maurice Denham, Delphine Seyrig, Jacques François, Olga Georges-Picot, Raymond Gérôme, Barrie Ingham
- PLOT:
A lone wolf assassin (Fox) is hired to assassinate Charles de Gaulle, and a police inspector (Lonsdale) is tasked with tracking him down.
- EVALUATION:
One of the great suspense films of the 70s and one of the most effective film adaptations of all time, updating the documentary-style crime film for the paranoid thriller age.
- WRITING:
Adapted from Frederick Forsyth's gripping novel, the dialogue is appropriately realistic and sparse.
- FILMING:
Amazing location footage and a soundtrack dominated by ambient sounds and music.
- BEST PART:
Most likely the chilling pumpkin-shooting scene, although I personally love that glimpse of the Jackal watching TV without glasses and hastily putting them on to maintain his disguise.
- TRIVIA:
The rifle was a real working model, one of two ever made.
- STINGER:
Lebel's wife grabs his foot to wake him up.
