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Showing posts with the label Frederick Forsyth

Every Jackal Has His Day

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. F...