Customer Reviews
Be in no doubt ... - By: Cartwright, 21 Dec 2007 
At my English prep schoolin the mid-80s the Day of the Jackal was approved viewing for the boys, despite its adult themes, because it offered up a role model of how an English gentleman should behave. Edward Fox is perfectin the lead role: impossibly dapper & handsome, emotionally cold, well organised, hates the French & travelsin style. The Day of the Jackal is a beautifully shot film, full of glossy mid-70s Europe, summer, good clothes, cigarettes & hotels. It tells of a cat & mouse game between an assassin & the French security services out to get that assassin, but with little information to go on. I have found this to be one of few films that reward repeated viewing. Enjoy.
GO MAN GO! - By: M. Webb, 11 Oct 2007 A brilliant film which had me on the edge of my seat all the way through. If you are not willing on the killer with every ounce of your being by the end of the film you're not humanin my opinion.
Simply Fantastic - By: Richard the CRUX, 07 Jul 2007 Why oh why cant they make films like this anymore!
All this hollywood blockbuster rubbish is like watching the output from a sausage production line. Same stories, same direction, same characters, same ridiculously fast frame rates, same annoying background music, where has the film industry gone wrong? What has happened to individuality? Where has the creativity gone?
Any film producers out there please, please, please watch this film!
The characters are not one dimensional like most charactersin todays films, they have depth & realism, the camera men do not have st.vitus dance, the film does not jump from one time zone to the other all the time & there is absolutely NO BACKGROUND MUSIC. Why do all modern films have to have distracting music throughout every second of the film. This film has no musicin the background at all & this makes it captivating & gives it tension. Background music does not add anything to a film, it takes it away. All the good films have little or no background music.
This film is a masterpiece, every scene is relevant to the story & it never wanders off into aimless subplots or delves into pointless background psycho-babble on why the hard-working cops marriage is struggling because hes so overworked; piffle! How cares, this garbage is just to pad out the film. "The Day of the Jackal" uses none of these pathetic cliches, it is an individual, unique, non-American, brilliantly acted, believable & gripping thriller. The pace is relentless but not manic as with most lesser thrillers, it flows brilliantly & has a European atmosphere that is such a thrill to absorb & so refreshing after enduring the pitiful, wise-cracking, Yankie drivel that Holywood spews out! If there are any film makers out there watch this film & study itin detail. Please observe what you are doing wrong & get your act together. I am saddened to think that despite new technology, which seems to have destroyed modern film making, film producers are incapable of producing films like this. My motto has always been "Special effects maketh not the film" Notice that this film not only has no background music but no special effects either, am I the only one that can see this?
None of the rubbish that isin modern films isin this film at all & yet it's a classic, why? because most modern films are rubbish by comparison.
Super nova amongst films - By: L. Hay, 28 May 2007 Forget the tacky Hollywood remakes, they simply cannot capture the magic of a film like this. The cast list reads like "Who's Who". James Fox shines as the perfect assassin, & Michael Lonsdale is wonderful as the senior detective who is relentlessin his pursuit. The remainder of the cast are spectacular & are the cream of the acting profession.
Knowing that our hit-man will not acually succeed, does not dampen our enjoyment.
This is a film one does not tire of.
Brilliant.
Superb - By: S J Buck, 23 Feb 2007 This excellent film from 1973 features Edward Fox as The Jackal. A man who is paid 1/2 a million dollars to kill Charles De Gaulle, the then President of France. This has a top notch cast including Maurice Denham, Cyril Cusack, Derek Jacobi, Donald Sinden & Michael Lonsdale. Perhaps the best of the cast is the impassive Lonsdale (who was the Samurai makerin Ronin 24 years later) as Lebel, the man who is tasked with stopping The Jackal.
This is very well directed by Zimmerman, who shot the film on locationin Paris & London. The film never lets up & is a slow burning explosive ride from beginning to end. Be warned this is not a modern day action thriller, you won't find whole buildings exploding or unrealistic car chase carnage. This is shotin an almost documentary style, which should not put you off because like a number of other films from the early 70's (The French Connection/Godfather films spring to mind), this is a really entertaining film that you will want to see again & again.
