Overview
A meticulous assassin prepares for the ultimate job: eliminating a world leader.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- methodical
- 冷静
- classic thriller night
- political cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a meticulously constructed, taut, and technically accomplished political thriller whose detailed adaptation elevates its source material.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Jackal's aliases, weapons, documents, travel arrangements, and operational planning receive sustained attention while police reconstruct his trail.
The central conflict turns on the practical execution of a contract killing against the heavily guarded French president.
Edward Fox's Jackal operates through a code name, false identities, and detached expertise rather than personal motivation.
The film emphasizes historically grounded locations, surveillance, travel, preparation, and police work over sensational spectacle.
Films like The Day of the Jackal, and why
The Manchurian Candidate
meticulous assassination planning, procedural suspense, and a cat-and-mouse pursuit between an anonymous killer and determined investigators
Three Days of the Condor
political conspiracy, grounded espionage tension, and an atmosphere of institutional paranoia
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
European political intrigue, painstaking investigative detail, and a cool, suspenseful thriller style
Le Samouraï
methodical criminal preparation, procedural realism, and a morally detached central professional
Movie Details
- Director
- Fred Zinnemann
- Release Date
- 1973-05-16
- Runtime
- 143 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (713)
Cast
- Edward Fox
- Terence Alexander
- Michel Auclair
- Alan Badel
- Tony Britton
- Denis Carey
- Cyril Cusack
- Maurice Denham
- Michael Lonsdale
- Vernon Dobtcheff
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Day of the Jackal about?
- A rigorously prepared assassin turns a historical French political crisis into a suspenseful contest of concealment, logistics, and detection.
- What is The Day of the Jackal like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Day of the Jackal as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Day of the Jackal violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Day of the Jackal as mild.
- What did critics think of The Day of the Jackal?
- Critics broadly regard it as a meticulously constructed, taut, and technically accomplished political thriller whose detailed adaptation elevates its source material.
- Which films are like The Day of the Jackal?
- Films with a similar feel include The Manchurian Candidate, Three Days of the Condor, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and Le Samouraï.
- How long is The Day of the Jackal?
- The Day of the Jackal runs 143 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Day of the Jackal?
- In United States, The Day of the Jackal is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
