For my recommendation today of a film, there’s no other choice than Fred Zinnemann’s “The Day of the Jackal.” Today is Aug. 25 in 2025 and it is the 62nd anniversary of the date of the climax of both the novel and film.
The film of the same title, directed by Zinnemann, was released in the U.S. on May 16, 1973. The movie is simply the gold standard in how to translate a detailed novel to the big screen.
In case you haven’t read the novel or seen the movie, “The Day of the Jackal” is the story of a plot to kill the president of France in 1963. It follows the group that hires an assassin for the job and then the assassin at his work. Since you know (or should have known) that President Charles DeGaulle wasn’t killed by any assassin and the story is basically to find out if the “Jackal” will survive to spend the considerable sum of money he’s being paid for the job.
The film condenses the long novel in a nearly perfect fashion, even though it compresses events and changes locations to fit the streamlined version on film. “The Day of the Jackal” doesn’t rely on great special effects (remember, it was made long, long and thankfully before CGI), but on the acting of Edward Fox as the title character and assorted supporting actors and their work.
In the end, with “The Day of the Jackal,” you’ve got a great film from a great novel … I guarantee it!
- Click here for my review of the “The Day of the Jackal” film
- Click here for my timeline of the events of the novel
- Click here for my praise for Frederick Forsyth’s “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 52nd anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 53rd anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 54th anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 55th anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 56th anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 57th anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 58th anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 59th anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 60th anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 61st anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my 62nd anniversary posting about “The Day of the Jackal”
- Click here for my review of examples of books-to-films
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