basecamp3

My first post is just to confirm my favourite British film. Not only is it well acted but stays very close to the original book.

Windthrop

It was certainly a lot better than the, pointless, remake - but then again how often does a director of Zinneman's standing direct a thriller. Nowadays there would be too much interference from actor/'producers'

batman

The 'remake' wasn't even a real remake. It bears no relation to the book or the original film and is terrible!

Bats.

ChristineCB

I thought the book and Edward Fox's film were top notch, and stand as an all too rare example of a book and film being good companions. It can be done!

christoph404

yep, Day of The jackal is a great film and has stood the test of time, everyone in the cast is like a who's who of great british actors of the period, Derek Jacobi, Alan Badel, Eric Porter,Anton Rogers etc... and of course Edward Fox. It really is a good example of a well made thriller,superbly acted and filmed. One finds oneself rooting for this cold blooded ruthless killer to succeed even though we know he will not!! its a great example of how a film can bend our emotions and thoughts from our normal instincts and maintain a tension throughout even though we know the inevitable outcome, its just brilliantly done.

batman

It is definitely Edward Fox's best performance. I usually find him quite irritating but he is extremely effective as The Jackal. His aloof persona and cold demeanour are perfect.

The excellent Michael Kitchen gave a similar performance in The Last Contract, a film well worth watching

Bats.

Steve Crook

The Day of the Jackal also has a classic understated performance from Cyril Cusack as the gunsmith. Cyril was very good at understated but it's very difficult to do

Steve

ChristineCB

There really aren't any bad performances by the supporting cast - everyone turns in a top-of-form effort, I think. And the writer's intricacy of installing a mistress for information gleaning - a great twist to this story, leading to the "I tapped all of the phones" comment.

Films like this, which have been so expertly converted from a solid book, sets the bar apparently way too high for most others.

batman

Andre Morell was another one excellent at underplaying, the young Robert Shaw too .... I remember a director saying to me when I was an aspiring actor .... 'dont just do something, stand there'. Very good advice, especially for film work.

Bats.

batman

IMHO the genre of films that tends to (usually) do this most succesfully, is westerns.

Bats.

Harleybloke

I agree! I rate 'Jackel' most highly. It also always makes me think of the 'Odessa File'. were they made around the same time? Similar feel? Isn't DJ in both?

Fox was magnificent though!

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!

ChristineCB

Harley, I confess that I too link those together, but clearly I never saw them on original release or even during a same time-period on video. Yet I can hardly watch one without watching the other.

Both films are tremendous nods to their books, which they translate well. EIGER SANCTION is in there, as well.

Harleybloke

The Eiger Sanction? Does that star the mayor of Carmel.........?

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!

ChristineCB

Yes, the Eastwood performance isn't exceptional, but the story is. I like the 'bad guys' in it - Eastwood's "boss" is contemptible, and he sends a henchman that's an Eastwood troup stalwart as another thorn in the side, plus there's an old enemy that emerges. But the 'real' enemy is quite unknown and revealed only at the end. Quite a fun 'ride' of a film and book.

(This is probably my favorite Eastwood film, but only because of the story and characters, not because of Eastwood.)

Harleybloke

Aw No Chrissy...............as a Harley freak it has to be 'Magnum Force' in fact any of the 'Dirty Harry' films, I just love 'em............yeah, yeah, Ok, I'm a 'pleb'....can't be helped.....

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!