The Day of the Jackal

Tags

1970's, Alan Badel, Cyril Cusack, Delphine Seyrig, Derek Jacobi, Edward Fox, Fred Zinnemann, Michael Lonsdale, Political Thriller, Ronald Pickup, The Day of the Jackal, Thriller

Director

Fred Zinnemann

Starring

• Edward Fox as The Jackal
• Michael Lonsdale as Claude Lebel
• Cyril Cusack as Gunsmith
• Ronald Pickup as the Forger
• Derek Jacobi as Caron
• Delphine Seyrig as Colette

A superbly crafted and tense political thriller based on the renowned novel by Frederick Forsyth , The Day of the Jackal has fine precision and the ability to make you sit up and concentrate.

It is 1963.  An underground group known as OAS in France is outraged by President Charles de Gaulle’s decision to award independence to Algeria. Various attempts are made on his life, yet none are fruitful or successful. After one such attempt, many members of the group are apprehended, arrested and the leader is executed via firing squad. In anger, the remaining members of OAS enlist the services of The Jackal. He is a mysterious assassin with no background but immense skill at his job. Around the time of hiring him to kill de Gaulle, the police learn after some interrogation of a OAS member of The Jackal and an assassination, but nothing further. The Jackal meticulously plans the assassination, getting what he needs from a number of people and often killing them when they cross him. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel is brought in to head the investigation by the Interior Minister. He is to uncover when the assassination will take place and hopefully prevent it. Lebel is a fastidious man who doubts he is cut out for this enormous job at first, but shows his worth and sharp mind in searching for the assassin. And so begins a cat and mouse game as both head towards their goals, each with the idea for a different outcome.

Fred Zinnemann is the shining star of The Day of the Jackal; his understanding of pace  and how to sustain a high level of unease is admirable and dexterous. The film may run for two and a half hours, but it sure doesn’t feel like it due to his handsome and taut handling of the material. Which isn’t to say that the film is rushed, instead its methodical and enthralling with how painstakingly it documents The Jackal’s planning of his job and Lebel’s analytical mind. You see it’s not about the main action of the piece; it’s all about the planning of it all. By cutting between the Jackal and Lebel, immediacy is created and used to spellbinding effect . You see how carefully and fastidiously both parties go about their business and objective. There’s real efficiency and uncertainty created in the viewers mind as Lebel closes in on the Jackal, but finds him most elusive at nearly every step. The editing is the second star of Jackal for how it combines the two characters in their fields of work and the inevitable confrontation between them. Add to that voice overs that carry over to other scenes and it’s a seamless way of telling a story  This is a thriller that is about intellect and plotting rather than over the top violence and blood. Granted, there is violence but most of it is hinted at rather than show, giving it a more chilling quality. The murders committed by The Jackal are skilled and briefly brutal, much like the man doing them. He is a man who is coldly ruthless and immensely determined, which is a deadly combination.  much like Jackal is a movie that demands your undivided attention as so much goes on. It’s largely compelling and there are only a few things that may have benefited from more explanation. But the vast majority of things are coolly and compulsively rendered for us to view and appreciate. Any little languors can be ignored because of how skilfully The Day of the Jackal tell it’s story and patiently but rewardingly pulls you in.

This movie features a wide cast, but there are those who really stand out. Heading things is Edward Fox as the eponymous killer. His boyish looks are employed with ruthless charm here, making him a charismatic but very dangerous fellow. This coupled with an icy stare and cool efficiency is perfect for the part. Seriously, I can’t imagine anyone bringing the menace and suaveness to the role that Fox does. Michael Lonsdale plays his part of detective with a sense of savvy and intellect. There’s a doubting quality there, but an immense dignity and steadfastness too. All of that compliments things greatly. In support there is Alan Badel as the hassled Interior Minister and look out for Cyril Cusack and Ronald Pickup as two men who aid The Jackal. Also a young Derek Jacobi makes an appearance as Lebel’s assistant and a tragic Delphine Seyrig as a woman romanced by the Jackal are worth praising.

A skillfully executed thriller with immense suspense and a keen eye for showing how the legwork of investigation can be, The Day of the Jackal is rightfully held in high regard.

A Month by the Lake

Tags

1990's, A Month by the Lake, Alessandro Gassman, Drama, Edward Fox, John Irvin, Period Drama, Romance, Uma Thurman, Vanessa Redgrave

Film Title

A Month by the Lake

Director

John Irvin

Starring

• Vanessa Redgrave as Miss Bentley
• Edward Fox as Major Wilshaw
• Uma Thurman as Miss Beaumont
• Alessandro Gassman as Vittorio Balsari

A lush, beautifully charming romantic drama set in 1930’s Italy, A Month by the Lake is a perfectly agreeable movie that allows you to spend time with a starry cast in gorgeous locations.

Miss Bentley is a lively spinster who has visited Lake Como every year for sixteen years. It is 1937 and talk of war is in the air, plus she is there without her father who has passed away. The place has changed, she observes and her loneliness is felt. Thankfully a distraction comes in the shape of the proud and stuffy bachelor Major Wilshaw, who at first is distant because of how assertive and spirited she is. But he is won over by her enthusiasm for life and lightening up, begins to enjoy his stay. This looks like the makings of romance for two people who haven’t has the best of luck when it comes to relationships of the heart. Yet the bratty and unsettled young nanny for a nearby family Miss Beaumont begins to stir things through a cavalier gesture that has the Major believing she genuinely cares for him. Miss Bentley notices this and is perturbed at Miss Beaumont’s conduct, as she deeply feels for the Major. But while Miss Beaumont enjoys her little games and teasing, Miss Bentley proves just as good at playing games of her own. At the same time, a younger Italian man takes a romantic interest in Miss Bentley, which plays right into her hands. All of this ultimately leads to more seriousness for all involved in the romantic entanglement.

John Irvin is behind the camera here and his observant direction is simple and flowing. He doesn’t bring any tricks to the table, but then again A Month by the Lake is not a tale that requires extensive stylistic choices to tell its story. This is a film with a light and airy charm, yet still revealing a slyness and somewhat more serious side to the tale. Humour has a place here, with dry and wry occurrences arising from misunderstanding and the great way that the characters are in a spinning roundabout of actions centred on desires of the heart. In the second half of the picture, the romantic tug of war becomes a lot more serious and dramatic, as the true extent of feelings finally become known. This change is handled admirably by the script and direction, exuding a little bit more emotion than was to be expected from such a film. Although breezy is a word that comes to mind, A Month by the Lake contains some genuine gravitas and melancholy that are pretty hard to miss within the framework of everything. The gorgeousness of Lake Como is visible in almost every frame; creating a heavenly setting for loves to blossom and for life to flourish in the days leading up to the Second World War. It’s like an elegant chocolate box of visual pleasures for the eyes as the setting is perfectly brought to life. Things can get muddled within the story and more than a few times a little bit of laziness creeps in, but the main buoyancy of A Month by the Lake is enough of a distraction from those particular flaws. The score is gentle and earnest; complimenting the feeling of having fun while there is still time for those lazy days in the sun to treasure in the memory.

Heading proceedings is the willowy and immensely radiant Vanessa Redgrave. Full of vitality, spirit and heart, her Miss Bentley is a character who sweeps you up in her outgoing and vivacious lust for life. Redgrave fully captures everything about this woman with her gift for suggestion and expressive face both tools in conveying the need for love this woman yearns for after the loss of her father. As usual, Redgrave provides a beautiful air of energy and charisma to her role that truly makes it something beautiful. Edward Fox has the right amount of dignity, cockiness and sadness for the part of Major. There is a real elegance and contrasting humour and pathos in Fox’s work that simply put is something special. Uma Thurman provides a counterbalance to Redgrave’s elegance and subtlety with a strong performance as petulant and callous Miss Beaumont. Knowing how pretty she is, she thinks nothing of toying with affection, largely stemming from boredom and a stifled upbringing. Thurman brings out the vixen in the part and how immature Miss Beaumont is, a brave thing to do as she isn’t afraid to be unlikable in the role. Alessandro Gassman is the handsome man whose romantic longings for Miss Bentley allow her to level the playing field.

A breezy gem of a movie that can also conjure up pathos, A Month by the Lake is a pleasant enough way to spend an hour or two of your time. With humour, romance and sublime scenery(plus an elegant cast), its easy-going but engaging which is often just what the doctor ordered.

The Go-Between

Tags

1970's, Alan Bates, Dominic Guard, Drama, Edward Fox, Joseph Losey, Julie Christie, Margaret Leighton, Michael Gough, Michael Redgrave, Period Drama, The Go-Between

Film Title

The Go-Between

Director

Joseph Losey

Starring

• Dominic Guard as Leo Colston
• Julie Christie as Marian Maudsley
• Alan Bates as Ted Burgess
• Margaret Leighton as Mrs. Maudsley
• Edward Fox as Hugh Trimingham
• Michael Gough as Mr. Maudsley
• Michael Redgrave as Older Leo

A precise and thought-provoking drama directed by Joseph Losey and scripted by Harold Pinter, The Go-Between is an intelligent examination of class, manipulation and the impact events from childhood can have. It won’t be for all tastes as some will find the visual and technical features of it self-indulgent, but The Go-Between is more than about these factors, it stands as a haunting account of the impact of memory and the archaic plans of society.

It is the summer at the turn of the century in England and young boy Leo Colston, goes to stay at his school friend house Marcus Maudsley’s country house in Norfolk. Marcus is a lot more well off than Leo and while his family are nice enough to Leo, you can’t help but feel that they have a mix of pity and snobbery when he’s around. While at the large house, Leo begins to develop feelings for Marcus’ beautiful sister Marian, who out of everyone in the house, takes an interest in him and appears to be fond of his company. Leo also meets the farmer Ted Burgess while out walking one day and he too becomes friendly with him as he lives nearby. Although there mainly because of Marcus, Leo finds himself with not much to do once Marcus is confined to bed with measles. He continues to talk with Marian, who he has become entranced with and visits Ted on occasion. It is through being close to both of these people that Leo is used for something. You see while Marian’s parents want her to marry the wealthy Hugh Trimingham, who is a viscount, she is in fact engaging in an affair with Ted. As the relationship would never be allowed due to the class difference, the two lovers have to meet in secret. With Leo now in the picture, he soon becomes their private postman, delivering their clandestine messages without asking any questions. He does this mainly because he is spellbound by Marian and friendly with Ted, and due to the naivety of youth. But as the summer wears on, Leo starts to get more curious about what’s going between the two, despite his closeness to them both. As he becomes more aware of what is going on and his young eyes are opened to the adult world, it’s only a matter if time before tragedy will occur.

On the directing front, Joseph Losey brings his own personal stamp to the story, by employing his dazzling array of visual flourishes and acute eye for the deceptive and rigid conventions of old society. From the camera, that utilizes both expansive shots of the Norfolk landscape and tight close-ups to convey emotions that must be kept under wraps, Losey wastes no time in displaying his deft hand and brings The Go-Between to life, in all it’s cruel and melancholy glory. One of the greatest assets of The Go-Between is the piercing screenplay that immerses us both in a time when it was supposedly polite society and draws us into Leo’s plight as his innocence is slowly eroded away by all the machinations that surround him. Pinter knows the meaning of the words nuance and subtlety and both are out to good use here. The pace employed is one of a deliberate and measured nature, to reflect how Leo is ultimately changed by his experience as the postman for the illicit letters of Marian and Ted. The pace can drag sometimes, but the overall impact is one of quiet devastation and realisation as the mores of society and forbidden love, coupled with the innocence of childhood, meet head on and shape Leo for the rest of his life.

One word for everyone who decides to watch The Go-Between, it’s what you might call a memory film done in an unorthodox but clever way. The whole framework of the film which slowly unravels is in the memories of a now grown up Leo, who is still haunted by the time from so long ago. Where it differs from other films is in the fact that it never goes in your face about the story being in the present and revisiting the past. I believe Losey thought that the audience would understand this technique and not feel the need to spell it out. With this knowledge, the various scenes that people may scratch their heads for reasons why they are there make sense more as the narrative progresses without shouting it in your face.In my opinion a film like The Go-Between is one of that benefits from many viewings and your deep concentration. Not that it is a criticism, if anything the very nature of the story and how it plays out is testament to how well put together it is. A deceptively light colour scheme pervades the film and the gorgeous Norfolk locations, clearly in an attempt to show how lovely society looked at the time but underneath how cruel and unforgiving it was beneath the veil of manners. And a swirling score filled with waves of emotion acts as the expression of feelings far below the surface of what was acceptability in the early 1900’s.

The young Dominic Guard is utterly remarkable portraying the impressionable Leo, who is forever altered after the eventful summer and what he sees. We as the audience feel genuine sympathy for Leo as he doesn’t realise how much he is being used by the grown ups and a lot of this sympathy is generated through Guard’s performance, that shows no sign of nerves especially considering he’s acting alongside some of the best in the business. Julie Christie is one of those actresses that captures your attention from the moment you see her due to both her beauty and talent, and that is definitely the case in her role here as Marian. Using a subtle array of expressions to give life to the character, Christie makes Marian caring and radiantly kind, but also cruel and manipulative in her taking advantage of young Leo to deliver her letters. What is most impressive about her performance is the fact she refuses to make Marian either likable or detestable, she is a flawed character throughout and that is brought out to a haunting degree by the talents of Julie Christie. Then there is Alan Bates who is no less impressive as the uncouth farmer Ted, who is amiable enough but still as calculating as Marian in the use of Leo as the eponymous go-between in their affairs.An imperious Margaret Leighton essays the part of Marian’s strict mother, who at first seems to be always on the sidelines, but is actually integral to the story with her withering glances and well spoken put downs wrapped in niceness. It’s the definition of a good supporting character realised by an excellent actress. Edward Fox as the intended suitor for Marian and Michael Gough as her father are well cast in their respective supporting roles. Seen in the flash forwards is an effective Michael Redgrave as the emotionally scarred Leo, who can never forget the events of his youth and is still piecing it all together.

So while it isn’t a film for everyone, the effective direction, writing and cast contribute to The Go-Between, making it much more than just another run of the mill period dramas. In fact, it’s probably one of the most atypical period dramas out there and for those who have the attention for it, a rewarding watch.