IMDb > The Day of the Jackal (1973)
The Day of the Jackal
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The Day of the Jackal (1973) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 3)
The Day of the Jackal (1973) -- A professional assassin codenamed "Jackal" plots to kill Charles de Gaulle, the President of France.
The Day of the Jackal (1973) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   12,560 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 21% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Frederick Forsyth (book)
Kenneth Ross (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Day of the Jackal on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 July 1973 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The Jackal spent 71 days,56 minutes thinking a bullet into the brain of de Gaulle more
Plot:
A professional assassin codenamed "Jackal" plots to kill Charles de Gaulle, the President of France. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 10 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
User Comments:
Oh Dear ... more (145 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Edward Fox ... The Jackal
Terence Alexander ... Lloyd
Michel Auclair ... Colonel Rolland
Alan Badel ... The Minister
Tony Britton ... Inspector Thomas
Denis Carey ... Casson
Adrien Cayla-Legrand ... The President
Cyril Cusack ... The Gunsmith
Maurice Denham ... General Colbert

Vernon Dobtcheff ... The Interrogator
Jacques François ... Pascal (as Jacques Francois)
Olga Georges-Picot ... Denise
Raymond Gérôme ... Flavigny (as Raymond Gerome)
Barrie Ingham ... St. Clair

Derek Jacobi ... Caron
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Chacal (France)
more
Runtime:
143 min
Country:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Though the film was not a box office success, it received generally excellent reviews and made Edward Fox much in demand in films and on television. more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When the Jackal releases his leg while posing as the old man, he is only wearing a sock on that foot. Later, while he waits for De Gaulle, he is wearing shoes on both feet. However, it's possible he stole a pair of shoes from the apartment while waiting. more
Quotes:
Col. Rodin: We are not terrorists, you understand. We are patriots. Our duty is to the soldiers who've died fighting in Algeria, and to the three million French citizens who have always lived there.
The Jackal: [bluntly] And so you want to get rid of him.
Col. Rodin: [after a pause] Speaking as a professional, do you think it's possible?
The Jackal: It's possible. The point is getting away with it. And speaking as a professional, that's a very important consideration.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Pen Pals (1974) more

FAQ

How does the movie differ from the book?
Is Charles Calthrop The Jackal?
Did the Jackal kill the gunsmith?
more
28 out of 42 people found the following comment useful.
Oh Dear ..., 13 September 2004
8/10
Author: Theo Robertson from Isle Of Bute, Scotland

... How am I supposed to review a thriller I liked a lot ? It's much easier to write comments on a thriller I disliked , a good example being that really crap movie with Bruce Willis hired by the Russian mafia and IRA man Richard Gere trying to stop him . I think you know the movie I'm talking about

Frederick Forsyth writes thrillers that not only entertain you but educate you too and Kenneth Ross has written a screenplay that reflects this type of writing . The characters aren't cyphers created just to push the plot along , you can really believe these policemen have been solving cases for years ( notice how the policemen are either dowdy or gruff or both . Very realistic ) while you just know " The Jackal " is the world's most effective hit-man . Director Fred Zimmerman films the movie the best way possible - As a docudrama . Okay it might be a little slow and European to some tastes thirty years after it was filmed but compare it to the aforementioned remake and tell me what ones more nailbiting and compelling ? No contest is it

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Accents were hillarious xian_666
Funniest Moment rh86
The Jackals mistakes civetcat
why does IMDB not list Mad.deMontpellier Foxsrus1
Military-style music during the End Credits samt3579
The Best Thing About This Movie... tgibbs279
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