The Day of the Jackal Poster
80
metacriticBased on 8 Critics

Release Date: May 16th, 1973

DVD Release Date: April 29th, 1998

PG|2 hr 21 min

Plot Summary
An underground French paramilitary group is intent on eliminating President Charles de Gaulle (Adrien Cayla-Legrand), but when numerous attempts on his life fail, they resort to hiring the infamous hit man known as "The Jackal" (Edward Fox). As the enigmatic assassin prepares to shoot de Gaulle, he takes out any problematic people along the way. Meanwhile, Lebel (Michel Lonsdale), a savvy Parisian police detective, begins to solve the mystery of the killer's identity.

Cast: Edward Fox, Michaël Lonsdale, Tony Britton, Terence Alexander, Cyril Cusack, Alan Badel, Michel Auclair, Denis Carey

Director: Fred Zinnemann

Genres: Thriller

Production Co: Universal/Universal Int

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Ratings & Reviews

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  • 80
    Ian NathanEmpire

    There is true beauty in the realism at the heart of what could come across a fanciful movie plot, with its documentarian coolness of execution, the crisp rhythms of Zinnemann’s direction, we feels we are staring through a window into the shadowy recesses of history. show more

  • 100
    Roger EbertChicago Sun-Times

    Fred Zinnemann’s The Day of the Jackal is one hell of an exciting movie. I wasn’t prepared for how good it really is: it’s not just a suspense classic, but a beautifully executed example of filmmaking. It’s put together like a fine watch. The screenplay meticulously assembles an incredible array of material, and then Zinnemann choreographs it so that the story--complicated as it is--unfolds in almost documentary starkness. show more

  • 60
    Time Out London

    Low on documentary conviction and political context, but an intriguing exercise in concealing the obvious. show more

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