16/30
Forsyth was working as a freelance journalist covering the Biafran War
Plot
The Jackal is an elusive assassin who makes his living committing murders for the biggest sums of money. He soon meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer who tracks him down in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe. Check out our list of renewals and cancellations to see if your favourite series has been picked up.
He said: «I came back at Christmas 1969, completely broke
When it ended, he returned to Britain, unemployed and unsure of what to do next. I had no chance of getting a job, I didn’t have a flat, I didn’t have a car and I had no savings. Then I had this crazy, crazy idea to write a novel.
Referenced in The Graham Norton Show: Denzel Washington/Paul Mescal/Saoirse Ronan/Eddie Redmayne/Blossoms (2024)
«Everyone said you were either joking or crazy because the odds of getting it published are a hundred to one, maybe a thousand.» Within weeks of publication, the film rights were snapped up. Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars vied to play the Jackal in the 1973 film, but the role went to the then-unknown Edward Fox because director Fred Zinnemann thought he could blend in unseen in a crowd. (Air Mail).
Unfortunately, Lashana Lynch’s performance pales in comparison, coming across as stiff and uninspired
Eddie Redmayne delivers a spellbinding performance, embodying the titular assassin with a chilling precision that makes him both terrifying and magnetic. Redmayne’s meticulous approach to the role heightens the tension, making his every move seem calculated and inevitable. Her ability to blend charm and menace ensures that the audience is both repulsed and fascinated, capturing the essence of the character’s duality.
Overall, the film is a captivating adaptation, but it suffers from occasional uneven performances
Her portrayal of a determined intelligence agent lacks depth, often coming across as one-dimensional and overly reliant on clichés. In a series that thrives on nuance and detail, her character’s lack of complexity comes across as a negative. Redmayne’s brilliance alone makes it worth watching, but Lynch’s flaws slightly diminish the experience.