THE DAY OF THE JACKAL

UK, 1973, 142 minutes, Colour.
Edward Fox, Michel Lonsdale, Alan Badel, Eric Porter, Jean Martin, Delphine Seyrig, Olga Georges-Picot?, Timothy West, Tony Britton, Donald Sinden, Anton Rogers, Cyril Cusack.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann.

The Day of the Jackal is a long film that should hold most adult audiences with great interest as it traces preparations for an OAS assassination attempt on De Gaulle in 1963. Director Fred Zinnemann moves the film with meticulous pace: the assassin, his moves, counter-investigation by the French police, by Scotland Yard, decisions by French cabinet, are all interwoven and go forward to the moment of the assassination attempt. The police and intelligence work is fascinating. Much
is presumed about character and motivation especially in Edward Fox's Jackal; Lebel (Michel Lonsdale), the French detective is more intelligible to us. Many reputable English and French actors and actresses have small but telling roles in a distinguished film.

1. The impact of this thriller its reputation as novel and film? The reputation of the director and the cast? The quality of the film?

2. How did it fit into the espionage and political films of the 70s? The focus on politics, crime, assassinations? A 70s look back at the atmosphere of the 60s? Interest and impact now? History, thriller?

3. The importance of the use of European locations to give an air of authenticity to the assassination plot? The picture of France in the early 60's, the O.A.S., the police and the workings of the police, the link between politics and administration of the police?

4. Colour photography, music, editing for pace? The number of French and English reputable actors and their skill and contribution even in minor roles?

5. Audience interest in and involvement via the structure: the presentation of the O.A.S. and the initial assassination attempt? The picture of the O.A.S. and its situation, the plot for the assassination and the development of the plans and the introduction of Claude Lebel and the confrontation between the two? Building to a climax on the day of the jackal and the meeting of the two?

6. The political background of the 60s? General de Gaulle and his administration of France and Algeria? The Algerian war? The O.A.S. and its beliefs? The rights and wrongs of the O.A.S., their fanaticism, the means used? Assassinations, bank robberies etc.? The impact of the initial assassination and the narrative commentary? The officer in charge and his arrest, his believing that he would not be executed, his execution?

7. The portrait of the O.A.S. plotters? Characters, tactics? Their hiding? The hiring of the Jackal and the impact of the interview? Polish assistant and his hearing the name’ of the Jackal? The decision to hide away to avoid implications? A collage of bank robberies? The French police and their investigations, their filming the hideaway in Ronie- of the O.A.S. Rien, the filming of the Polish assistant? The importance of his arrest and the manner of it? The brutality of his torture and interrogation, the transcripts and detecting what he had said, the identification of the word 'jackal'? The rights and wrongs of torture? O.A.S. methods used on O.A.S. men?

8. The background of the O.A.S. with the employment of Denise? Her mission, the way that she arranged to meet the minister, her invitation to his house? Love-making and deceiving him? The way that she got the information? Her phone calls? The comments of the minister during the official meetings and the irony of his giving away the information? The finale with the tapping of his phone, his suicide and Denise's arrest? Illustration of the methods of the O.A.S.?

9. Edward Fox's performance as the Jackal? His skill? Personality? Reputation for other assassinations? A type for assassinations? The interview with the O.A.S. men giving an indication of his mind, the conditions? Money? Being his own man?

10. How well did the film give attention to his plan e.g. his work in the cemetery finding an identity, getting the certificate, forging passports and documents? The work in Genoa with photography, assuming different characters for photographs? The ordering of the rifle and the conditions? The indication of dates and the build-up for the assassination as well as the pressure for the police? The characters of the people in Genoa e.g. the photographer and his death after blackmail, the pride of the gunsmith?

11. The transition of the film to the French Cabinet and the information given after the torture of the Polish assistant? De Gaulle's unwillingness to change any of his plans? The pressure on the minister and on the police? The decision to hire Lebel?

12. The introduction to Lebel at home, with his wife? His quiet attitude, his skill in his work, the way that he organised his office, his assistant? His detailed plans and the invitation to the audience to work with him? The audience's advantage in knowing the Jackal already? The decision about the calls to the various police headquarters? The attention to the meticulous work and detection? His various reports to Cabinet? The irony that this was being leaked to the Jackal? His emphasis on getting a name?

13. Picture of Scotland Yard at work and the contrast with the French? The waking up of the head? Brian Thomas and his mannerisms e.g. picking his teeth, ordinary approach to life? His skill? Contacts in high offices, his being given the task - to avoid the guilt of an Englishman as the Jackal? His working through the files, getting a name, raiding rooms? The contribution too to the detection of the Jackal by Scotland Yard?

14. The build-up of times and days, the nearing of the Jackal to Paris and the nearing of detection? The dramatic effect of this build-up?

15. The final phase and the way that Jackal crossed the border? His staying at the hotel and the interlude with the French woman? The small talk, the lovemaking? The consequences for the woman? His repainting the car, the crash, the taking the car and arriving at her home? The irony of her telling him the truth and her death? The necessity of assuming the identity of the teacher and his skill in doing this and taking the train under the eyes of the police?

16. His skill in eluding the police by going to the Turkish baths and staying with a homosexual? Scotland Yard and the police trying to get his place of living in the hotel? His being seen on the screen and the inevitability of the death of the homosexual?

17. The build-up for security on the day of the ceremonies? The picturing of De Gaulle at the various ceremonies? The audience waiting?

18. The audience's relief when they saw him disguised as the cripple, his getting from the police? His killing the lady in the flats? The build-up to the set-up and the fact that he achieved his goal almost?

19. The dramatic consequences with Lebel and the police going into the flats, the confrontation and the Jackal's death?

20. The significance of the postscript of the funeral, the indication of the mystery, the Englishman returning hora--? The assassin as a fact of the twentieth century?