A Classic Thriller - movie review

The Day of the Jackal - (1973) Sometimes classics aren't big hits.  At least not at first. When director Fred Zinneman ("High Noon", "From Here to Eternity", "A Man For All Seasons") began casting the movie he decided he didn't want a big name star.  He wanted the story to be the star.  So the relatively unknown Edward Fox was cast as the Jackal, an assassin brought in to kill French President Charles DeGaulle.  The lack of star power is thought to be part of why the movie was not a big hit when first released.  The critics knew a classic when they saw it however.

The story is based on history.  In the early 1960's, after fighting a long and bitter war in Algeria, the French government decided enough was enough and granted the Algerians independence.  A small group in the French military was outraged and formed what would today be called a domestic terrorist group, the OAS.  In 1962 they made an attempt on the life of the French president.  The attempt failed, the conspirators were caught and their leader was executed.  The movie then takes the action one step further.  What if remaining members of the organization paid an assassin to try again?

What you end up with is a classic thriller.  The assassin making his way towards his moment.  The French police trying to put together the pieces to figure out what is going on.  The action is tense and moves quickly. At the same time Zinneman gives the action all the room it needs to build the tension.  In the end the director gets exactly what he wanted.  The story is the star and the story is a beauty.

Rating - **** Recommended Movie