The Day of the Jackal

"Nameless, faceless... relentlessly moving towards the date with death that would rock the world."

1973 2h 23m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

🔥

91%

CERTIFIED FRESH

💯

METACRITIC

⭐

7.8

IMDB

★7.5TMDB · 715🍅91%Rotten Tomatoes●80Metacritic★7.8IMDB · 51,802

ActionThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

An international assassin known as ‘The Jackal’ is employed by disgruntled French generals to kill President Charles de Gaulle, with a dedicated gendarme on the assassin’s trail.

“Nameless, faceless... relentlessly moving towards the date with death that would rock the world.”

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Cast

Edward Fox
The Jackal
Terence Alexander
Lloyd
Michel Auclair
Colonel Rolland
Alan Badel
the Minister
Tony Britton
Inspector Thomas
Denis Carey
Casson
Cyril Cusack
Gunsmith
Maurice Denham
General Colbert

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Fred Zinnemann
Writers: Kenneth Ross
Languages: French, Italian, English
Countries: France, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

53 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, Italian, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Fred Zinnemann, shot by Jean Tournier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Georges Delerue. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ralph Kemplen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Edward Fox and Terence Alexander and Michel Auclair carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Nameless, faceless... relentlessly moving towards the date with death that would rock the world.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Fred Zinnemann directs. Jean Tournier behind the camera. Georges Delerue scores. Ralph Kemplen cuts. Produced in France, United Kingdom. Dialogue in French, Italian, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

153 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, Italian, English.
3International production across 2 countries: France, United Kingdom.
4Directed by Fred Zinnemann, shot by Jean Tournier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Georges Delerue. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Ralph Kemplen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Edward Fox and Terence Alexander and Michel Auclair carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Nameless, faceless... relentlessly moving towards the date with death that would rock the world.".
9IMDB entry: tt0069947 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 14 themes, including "assassin", "assassination", "france", "paris, france".
11Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jean Tournier
Original score: Georges Delerue
Editing: Ralph Kemplen
Costume design: Rosine Delamare
Makeup / hair: Pierre Berroyer
Sound: Graham V. Hartstone
Runtime: 143 min · 2h 23m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $16,056,255
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: The Day of the Jackal (1973)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 80/100
IMDB rating: 7.8/10 · 51,802 votes
MPAA: PG

Awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 1 win & 11 nominations total

Also by

Fred Zinnemann

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2014-02-12
★ 9/10
Chacal. The Day of the Jackal is directed by Fred Zinnerman and adapted to screenplay by Kenneth Ross from the novel of the same name written by Frederick Forsyth. It stars Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair, Alan Badel, Tony Britton and Denis Carey. Music is by Georges Delerue and cinematography by Jean Tournier. As the French political climate reaches boiling point over the Algeria situation, underground organisation the OAS plot to have President Charles de Gaulle assassinated. When an attempt fails the OAS members not caught are exiled in Vienna and decide that bringing in an outsider to kill the President is now the best way forward. That outsider is an Englishman, code name The Jackal, a methodically cunning and deadly assassin. Wonderful, the kind of character driven thriller that has become in short supply over the last couple of decades. It’s all so simple, even sedate, yet this calm approach serves the plotting perfectly. After the initial set ups we follow The Jackal (a super icy turn by Fox) on his mission to kill General de Gaul. His planning, the people he meets, and the people he has to kill to stay one step ahead of the authorities. From cons to weapon smuggling, to disguises and sexual encounters, it’s thoroughly compelling from Jackal’s story arc alone, but the frequent shifts to the hunt for him by a whole ream of suits and detectives is also gripping and suspenseful viewing. Backing Fox up is a raft quality performers, a cast very much in tune with the material to hand. Delure’s musical composition is purposely of the minimalist breed, Tournier’s photography is period compliant and smooth, while Ralph Kemplen’s excellent editing was rightly nominated for an Academy Award. Zinnerman does sterling work from the director’s chair, amazingly keeping a two and half hour movie free of extraneous scenes or pointless exposition. Everything is relative, it really is a film to stay focussed with, to give it respect by giving it your undivided attention. So go the bathroom before sitting down to view this truly great and smart thriller. 9/10
CinemaSerf2022-03-28
★ 7/10
A sophisticated adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's thriller about an Englishman codenamed "the Jackal" (Edward Fox) who is hired to assassinate Charles de Gaulle, the President of France. His meticulous planning remains almost undiscovered until the redoubtable "Inspecteur Lebel" - played by the always under-rated Michael Lonsdale manages to piece together enough information to get on his tail. A workmanlike ensemble cast give extra weight to the lead performances in this intriguing and well put together Fred Zinnemann film. It's huge advantage as a story is it's simplicity - and here we get a drawn into the cat and mouse game unsure who will win right til the very end.