For over five decades, Fred Zinnemann’s The Day of the Jackal has stood as the unassailable gold standard of the political thriller. Based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 bestselling novel, the film chronicles a meticulous, anonymous assassin (the "Jackal") hired by the OAS to kill French President Charles de Gaulle. Unlike the bombastic action films that would follow in later decades, The Day of the Jackal is celebrated for its procedural realism, clockwork suspense, and documentary-style texture.
If you are a film student, a screenwriter breaking down structure, or a fan searching for a deep reference guide, you are likely looking for an —a comprehensive, cross-referenced catalogue of characters, locations, timelines, and production details. Index Of The Day Of The Jackal
| Country | Location | Scene Significance | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Hotel Inter-Continental, Vienna | The Jackal’s initial base; receives the "500,000 francs in cash." | | Italy | Genoa, Italy | OAS headquarters; Rodin hires the Jackal at a sleazy port bar. | | Belgium | Brussels, Belgium | The gunsmith; the Jackal tests his rifle in a junk yard. | | France | Paris (Place de l’Étoile) | Lebel’s office; the manhunt command center. | | France | Château de la Montala (Loire Valley) | Romantic interlude; the Jackal hides his rifle parts in the panelling. | | France | The Milk Float, Paris Suburbs | A crucial early clue: a veteran’s pension card thrown in a bin. | | France | Rue de la Pompe | The Jackal rents a 6th-floor apartment overlooking the Liberation Day parade route. | | France | Montparnasse Cemetery | The exchange of the fake passports. | | France | The Crypt of the Unknown Soldier (Arc de Triomphe) | The film’s climax: August 25th, Liberation Day. | Part 3: The Iconic Weapons Index One of the most analyzed aspects of the film is the weapon. The Index of The Day of the Jackal would be incomplete without the technical details. For over five decades, Fred Zinnemann’s The Day
Keywords integrated: Index of The Day of the Jackal, The Day of the Jackal cast, Jackal film locations, assassin sniper rifle 1973, Frederick Forsyth adaptation, classic thriller index. If you are a film student, a screenwriter
| Category | 1973 Index | 2024 Series | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Setting | 1960s post-Algeria | Modern day (2020s) | | Protagonist | Edward Fox (Cold, silent) | Eddie Redmayne (Charismatic, family-driven) | | Antagonist | Michael Lonsdale (French detective) | Lashana Lynch (British MI6) | | Tone | Procedural / Documentary | Action / Psychological | | Key Weapon | .308 sniper rifle | High-tech ghost gun + ghillie suit |