The new TV adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch is days away. It looks to be a tense and exciting game of cat and mouse that sees the classic novel brought into the 21st century. But this isn't the first time Forsyth's novel has been adapted for the screen. So I decided to take a look back at the two previous big screen adaptations - one of which I had seen before, the other I had not.
I am almost ashamed to say that Fred Zinnemann’s 1973 classic is the version of this story that I hadn't seen before. Thankfully it is as taught a thriller as it was back when it hit the big screen. There's a flare and sophistication to both the titular hitman and his attempt to assassinate President Charles de Gaulle. While Edward Fox brings charisma and a sense of mystery to the character. He looks like a man who could kill you without blinking - for a fee, of course - and at the same time manages to be very unassuming.
For a movie with so many moving parts, it's impressive that it never feels overly complicated or difficult to follow. Quite the opposite in fact, it can be rather fascinating to watch the multi-national efforts to identify and catch the 'Jackal' - especially in a pre-computer world. Michael Lonsdale delivers another of the movie's compelling performances as Lebel, the French detective leading the investigation. His blend of exhaustion and drive bringing both relatability and authenticity. After all, he has been assigned a massive task with extremely high stakes. I also find it amusing that Madame Lebel appears several times throughout the movie simply to wake her husband from a deep sleep.
However, the thing that sets The Day of the Jackal apart from other crime dramas is the fact that it's not as black and white - and I'm not referring to the colour of the image. With many movies there is a clear cut villain and hero, and no question of who to root for. Whereas here it's more subjective. Much like with Neil McCauley in Heat, it's easy to find yourself rooting for the Jackal, even though he is definitely the villain. The way he meticulously plans everything and yet is able to improvise and adapt very quickly whenever something goes wrong makes him a fascinating character - that and the fact you never really know who he is - and unsurprisingly his is the journey that's the more gripping. Even his prep work can be intriguing. All of which makes it all the more believable when in those final moments the movie has you on the edge of your seat, as you begin to wonder if he's actually going to accomplish his mission.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said about 1997's The Jackal. Despite boasting a great cast - and that's pretty much all it can boast - this brash and over the top modern(ish) take on Forsyth's novel lacks all the sophistication and intrigue of its predecessor. I can certainly understand why both author and director wanted to disassociate this remake with both the book and the original movie. Now I will say that I have seen this movie more than a few times and have enjoyed it. I still do to a certain extent, despite its mediocrity. It's an ok action movie with a few fun scenes. But when it's the second part of a double bill behind The Day of the Jackal, the mediocrity becomes all the more apparent.
For one thing, all of the movie's best moments play out almost exactly as they do in the 1973 movie, only without the finesse. The only real standout scene is the one that sees Willis' Jackal test the canon, with Jack Black adding some humour to an otherwise pretty flat movie. Even if that ridiculous cannon suggests someone is compensating for something, it is funny watching Black fall foul of it. Other than that it seems like nothing more than a burden, making a very difficult job even harder. Which says a lot about this supposed world class assassin whose identity is known to almost no one; he does like making a mess, and he doesn't do it very quietly either - especially when hijackers are involved. In fact, there's not really any mystery to him at all, he's just a contract killer whose name we don't know, who occasionally rocks a moustache. You certainly don't find yourself rooting for this Jackal, like you do Fox's.
The race to identify this Jackal isn't all that interesting either. Although Sidney Poitier certainly tries. Most of the hard work is brushed over with summaries and montages, and it lacks the tension that the 1973 movie masterfully creates. Granted it is tough to create tension when all you do is get a guy out of prison and take him to see his ex-girlfriend. Yes, the only new thing The Jackal brings to the story is Richard Gere's Declan Mulqueen and his dislike of a certain contract killer. The problem is their history doesn't really add anything to the story. Much like with Willis' Jackal, you don't exactly find yourself rooting for Mulqueen either. If anything their drama distracts from the manhunt, draining any sense of tension from it. All of which culminates, inexplicably, with the sniper (played by Daniel Dae Kim) surrendering his rifle to the convict who hasn't held a rifle in years.
Frederick Forsyth's novel has inspired an absolutely fantastic movie and a rather mediocre one too. It'll be interesting to see what the new TV adaptation does with the source material. Hopefully it'll find a sort of middle ground between the two movies, closer to the 1973 movie but with an interesting modern spin.
At the time of publishing The Day of the Jackal (1973) is available to stream on Sky Cinema/NowTV and ITVX, and you can find The Jackal (1997) on BBC iPlayer.
The Day of the Jackal (2024) premieres on Sky Atlantic/NowTV in the UK and Peacock in the US on 7th November.
What are your thoughts on The Day of the Jackal and The Jackal? Are you excited about the upcoming series adaptation starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch? Leave a comment below or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads. You can also email us at moviemoustache@gmail.com.
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