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.

Moonraker

Tags

007, 1970's, Bernard Lee, Corinne Cléry, Desmond Llewelyn, Geoffrey Keen, James Bond, Lewis Gilbert, Lois Chiles, Lois Maxwell, Michael Lonsdale, Moonraker, Richard Kiel, Roger Moore, Spy

Film Title

Moonraker

Director

Lewis Gilbert

Starring

• Roger Moore as James Bond
• Lois Chiles as Holly Goodhead
• Michael Lonsdale as Hugo Drax
• Richard Kiel as Jaws
• Corinne Cléry as Corinne Dufour
• Bernard Lee as M
• Desmond Llewelyn as Q
• Geoffrey Keen as Frederick Gray
• Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny

Often referred to as one of the weaker entries into the Bond canon, Moonraker does have its appeal every now and then. But after the greatness that was The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker feels like a bit of a let down and just an attempt to cash in on the Star Wars phenomenon that was raging at the time of release. Saying that, every movie in the Bond series has something to praise in one way or another.

After surviving an aerial battle with old enemy Jaws, 007 arrives in London to receive his briefing from his superior M. In this adventure for James Bond, he is sent to uncover the theft of a space shuttle. Travelling to California, he investigates Hugo Drax, a suave industrialist with a passion for space whose corporation builds and owns the Moonraker space ship that was hijacked. What Bond uncovers is that Drax has a more dastardly plan than mere space travel. He plans to wipe out the world’s civilization with a deadly poison he has extracted from a rare orchid. After this and with human life gone, a specially picked group of people, who Drax dubs his master race will populate the Earth. With astronaut and CIA agent Holly Goodhead on hand in this mission, Bond must go from America to Venice, from Brazil to eventually the outer reaches of space in order to thwart the maniacal plot of Drax. Yet with Jaws once again on his tail, it won’t be easy for 007 to save the world from utter devastation.

As I mentioned earlier, Moonraker isn’t my favourite of the cavalcade of Bond flicks. Chief among the problems are the outlandish space angle that the movie has. Granted some of the space scenes are visually amazing, I just think the producers went a bit too far with the outrageous tone. As well, the plot just seems like a rehash of The Spy Who Loved Me, with only the settings being changed from underwater to outer space. Lewis Gilbert, to his credit, does his best to keep the action going, but too many examples of kookiness get in the way. Onto the positives of Moonraker and believe it or not, there are many good moments to mention. There is the kitsch appeal of Bond driving a motorized Gondola through the streets of Venice( keep an eye out for the double take pigeon). There is a very menacing scene in which Corinne, one of Drax’s workers who helps Bond find covert information, is chased through the morning woods by vicious Doberman’s to her eventual death. The set design is impeccable, from the house in which Drax resides to his stunning space station, every set is a marvel. I must admit that the space battle is quite thrilling with laser guns and gravity defying bodies, even if it is nothing more than just a riff on Star Wars. John Barry returns and gives Moonraker a beautiful score, with some chilling suspense pieces appearing that heighten a certain tension in the film. Shirley Bassey returns to sing the title song, and although it isn’t the best Bond song, Bassey performs admirably.

It may not be his best outing as 007, but Roger Moore nails the debonair wit and style of Bond with his mix of suave assurance and boyish charm. Lois Chiles, who is saddled with an underwritten role, does her best with the part of the suggestively named Holly Goodhead by giving her a feisty self-assurance and resistance to Bond’s seduction. I wouldn’t rank him among the best in the villains that 007 has encountered, but Michael Lonsdale has a cultured and ruthless quality that gives Hugo Drax a warped side that is good enough to give the character a presence. While he was menace personified as Jaws in the last film, Richard Kiel is unfortunately lumbered with the more comedic aspects of the character. This is largely distracting and the introduction of a love interest for him is just plain goofy in my eyes. Corinne Cléry is suitably winsome as the doomed worker who pays the price for betraying Drax for the affections of Bond. In what was his final performance as M before his death, Bernard Lee is arch and eye-rolling as Bond’s superior. It really is sad that Lee died as he made the role his own from the very beginning. Thank God he got an excellent send off and out of respect they didn’t feature the character in the next movie. Desmond Llewelyn has some witty moments as Q, while Geoffrey Keen is excellently exasperated by Bond’s methods as Minister of Defense Frederick Gray. Lois Maxwell is still as lovely and charming as ever in the part of loyal secretary Moneypenny.

All in all, Moonraker is a flawed Bond movie, but it does have a certain kitsch appeal in various moments and certainly stands out as one of the most outlandish movies featuring 007.