36/12
The Jackal is an elusive assassin who makes his living by executing high-paying hits. He soon meets his match in the form of a dogged British intelligence officer who tracks him down on a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe. Check out our list of renewed and cancelled shows to see if your favourite show has made it. Forsyth worked as a freelance journalist covering the Biafran War. When it ended, he returned to the UK, unemployed and unsure of what to do next. He said: “I came back at Christmas ’69, completely broke. No chance of a job, no flat, no car and no savings. Then I had this crazy, crazy idea to write a novel. ‘Everyone said you had to be joking or angry because the chances of even getting it published were hundreds to one, even thousands.’ Within weeks of its release, 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 a then-unknown Edward Fox because director Fred Zinnemann thought he could blend in with the crowd. (Airmail). Mentioned in The Graham Norton Show: Denzel Washington/Paul Mescal/Saoirse Ronan/Eddie Redmayne/Blossoms (2024). Eddie Redmayne delivers a compelling performance, embodying the titular killer 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 calculated and inevitable. His ability to mix charm with menace ensures that audiences are both repulsed and captivated, capturing the essence of the character’s duality. Unfortunately, Lashana Lynch’s performance pales in comparison, feeling wooden and uninspired. Her portrayal of a determined intelligence agent lacked depth, often coming across as one-dimensional and overly clichéd. In a series that thrives on nuance and detail, her character’s lack of complexity stands out in a negative way. Overall, the film is an engaging adaptation, but it struggles with uneven performances at times. Redmayne’s brilliance alone makes it worth watching, but Lynch’s flaws slightly diminish the experience.