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The Day of the Jackal (1973) movie poster

Timeline

The Day of the Jackal (1973) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1973 · 143 min · English
Directed by
Fred Zinnemann
Starring
Edward Fox

A shadowy organization recruits a professional assassin, known only as the Jackal, to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle. As the Jackal systematically eliminates anyone who stands in his way, French detective Claude Lebel launches a desperate race against time to track him down and prevent the attack. The pursuit becomes a tense and dangerous game of cat and mouse, with the fate of a nation hanging in the balance.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (16)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like The Day of the Jackal
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Day of the Jackal (1973)

Where can you watch The Day of the Jackal? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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16 events in order · contains spoilers

The Day of the Jackal Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Day of the Jackal (1973) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. OAS Assassination Attempt

    On August 22, 1962, the militant underground group OAS attempts a daring assassination of President Charles de Gaulle. Their plan fails spectacularly, causing de Gaulle and his entourage to remain unscathed.

    When
    August 22, 1962
  2. Capture of OAS Leaders

    Following the failed assassination, OAS leader Jean Bastien-Thiry and his accomplices are captured. This leads to Bastien-Thiry being sentenced to execution for his role in the assassination attempt.

  3. New Plot in Austria

    The surviving OAS leaders, now in hiding in Austria, begin plotting another assassination attempt. They decide to hire a British assassin, known only as 'Jackal,' offering him a hefty sum of $500,000.

    Where
    Austria
  4. Jackal's Preparation

    The Jackal travels to Genoa to commission a custom-made rifle from a gunsmith. He also forges a new identity with the assistance of a forger, who he later kills when threatened with blackmail.

    Where
    Genoa
  5. Entry to Paris

    The Jackal duplicates a key to an apartment that overlooks Paris’ Place du 18 juin 1940, granting him a strategic location for his assassination attempt. This careful planning marks a crucial step in his mission.

    Where
    Paris
  6. Kidnapping of Viktor Wolenski

    The French Action Service takes decisive action by kidnapping Viktor Wolenski, the OAS chief clerk. Despite his death during interrogation, he reveals the name 'Jackal,' providing critical information about the assassination plot.

  7. Lebel Takes Charge

    In light of the new intel, the Interior Minister convenes a meeting with top French security officials. Police Commissioner Berthier recommends his capable deputy Claude Lebel to lead the investigation into the plot against de Gaulle.

  8. Information Leak

    Colonel St. Clair inadvertently leaks sensitive information to his mistress, Denise, who is secretly an OAS operative. This breach provides crucial insights that assist the Jackal’s plans.

  9. Jackal's Near Capture

    While at a hotel, the Jackal charms an aristocrat, Colette de Montpellier. However, upon learning that authorities are closing in, he narrowly escapes just before Lebel and his team arrive.

    Where
    Hotel
  10. Madame de Montpellier’s Murder

    After taking refuge at Madame de Montpellier's estate, the Jackal kills her to eliminate any potential leads once he realizes that the police have contacted her. This brutal act underscores his ruthlessness.

    Where
    Madame de Montpellier's estate
  11. Manhunt Escalates

    As the police find Madame de Montpellier’s corpse, Lebel transitions to a public manhunt for the Jackal. The investigation gains urgency as they realize the assassin has been making calculated moves all along.

  12. Lebel's Suspicions

    Lebel suspects a British individual named Charles Harold Calthrop may have entered France under the alias Paul Oliver Duggan. This leads to heightened scrutiny and focus on the connections to the Jackal.

  13. Liberation Day Preparation

    During an urgent meeting, Lebel expresses his belief that the Jackal plans to assassinate de Gaulle during the upcoming Liberation Day ceremony. This event will commemorate the liberation of Paris in World War II.

  14. Assassination Attempt on Liberation Day

    On Liberation Day, the Jackal disguises himself as an elderly amputee and gains access to a building overlooking the ceremony. He assembles his rifle, preparing for the critical moment to eliminate de Gaulle.

    When
    Liberation Day
    Where
    Paris
  15. The Jackal's End

    As de Gaulle begins the ceremony, the Jackal’s shot narrowly misses him due to a sudden movement. In the ensuing chaos, Lebel rushes in, leading to a confrontation that ends with the Jackal being shot and killed.

  16. Aftermath and Mystery

    After the incident, police investigate the true identity of the Jackal, who had exploited Calthrop's identity. The real Calthrop is cleared of suspicion, leaving Lebel as the only witness to the dark events surrounding the failed assassination.

Last updated: November 16, 2024 at 15:10

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Timeline questions answered

The Day of the Jackal Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Day of the Jackal (1973): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did the OAS hire the Jackal to assassinate de Gaulle?

The OAS (Organisation armée secrète) hired the Jackal after their failed assassination attempt on August 22, 1962. Following the capture and execution of their leader Jean Bastien-Thiry, the surviving OAS leaders went into hiding in Austria and needed a professional assassin to carry out what they could not accomplish themselves. They offered the Jackal $500,000 for the job.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, the OAS's failed 1962 assassination attempt directly leads to their decision to hire an outside killer.

  • oas
  • jackal
  • assassination
  • de gaulle
  • motivation
Q2

Why did the Jackal kill the forger who created his identity?

The Jackal killed the forger in Genoa because the man attempted to blackmail him. After creating a new identity for the Jackal under the alias Paul Oliver Duggan, the forger threatened to reveal the assassin's true identity unless paid additional money. The Jackal eliminated him to prevent any trace that could lead authorities to him.

  • jackal
  • forger
  • murder
  • blackmail
  • identity
Q3

How did the Jackal gain access to the Paris apartment?

The Jackal duplicated a key to an apartment that overlooked the Place du 18 juin 1940 in Paris. This gave him a strategic vantage point to shoot de Gaulle during public ceremonies. The location was crucial to his assassination plan.

  • jackal
  • apartment
  • key
  • paris
  • assassination point
Q4

Why did the Jackal kill Madame de Montpellier?

The Jackal killed Colette de Montpellier after taking refuge at her estate because he realized the police had already contacted her. To eliminate any potential lead that could connect him to authorities, he murdered her and fled.

  • jackal
  • colette de montpellier
  • murder
  • escape
Q5

Why did Colonel St. Clair commit suicide?

Colonel St. Clair killed himself after Lebel played a recording that exposed his mistress Denise as an OAS operative who had been feeding him sensitive government information. Realizing his role in the security breach was exposed and facing the consequences, St. Clair took his own life.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, St. Clair carelessly shares government details with his mistress Denise, who is secretly working for the OAS.

  • st clair
  • suicide
  • denise
  • oas
  • leak
  • confession
Q6

How did Lebel know the Jackal would strike on Liberation Day?

Lebel deduced the Jackal intended to assassinate de Gaulle during Liberation Day by analyzing the assassin's preparation timeline and patterns. He reasoned that the Jackal would need a major public ceremony with a predictable schedule to successfully carry out the attack, and Liberation Day commemorating the liberation of Paris was the ideal opportunity.

  • lebel
  • liberation day
  • de gaulle
  • prediction
  • ceremony
Q7

Why did the Jackal's shot miss de Gaulle?

The Jackal's shot missed because de Gaulle unexpectedly leaned forward at the exact moment the assassin fired. This sudden movement caused the bullet to narrowly miss the president during the Liberation Day ceremony, allowing the Jackal only seconds to attempt a second shot before Lebel and police rushed in.

  • jackal
  • miss
  • de gaulle
  • shot
  • liberation day
Q8

What happened to the real Charles Harold Calthrop?

The real Charles Harold Calthrop was a British man whose identity the Jackal exploited, using his name as cover while entering France under the alias Paul Oliver Duggan. After the Jackal's death, Calthrop voluntarily appeared at Scotland Yard and was completely cleared of any suspicion, leaving authorities puzzled about the assassin's true identity.

  • calthrop
  • jackal
  • identity
  • england
  • cleared
Q9

Why was de Gaulle's public schedule important to the investigation?

De Gaulle refused to alter his public schedule despite the assassination threat, which complicated Lebel's investigation. The president insisted on maintaining his public appearances, including the Liberation Day ceremony, forcing authorities to protect him during exposed public events rather than simply cancelling them.

  • de gaulle
  • schedule
  • security
  • investigation
  • ceremony
Q10

Why was the Jackal so difficult for police to catch?

The Jackal was nearly impossible to catch because he constantly changed identities, used forged documents, and killed everyone who could identify him. He meticulously planned every move, including creating multiple aliases (Paul Oliver Duggan and Per Lundquist), and eliminated potential witnesses like the forger, Madame de Montpellier, and a man who recognized him from a news broadcast.

  • jackal
  • capture
  • identity
  • investigation
  • aliases
Q11

How did the death of Viktor Wolenski help the investigation?

Although Viktor Wolenski died during interrogation by the French Action Service, he revealed crucial information before dying, specifically the codename "Jackal" for the assassin the OAS had hired. This single piece of intelligence allowed French authorities to identify the threat and begin their investigation in earnest.

  • wolenski
  • interrogation
  • jackal
  • information
  • oas
Q12

Why did the Jackal disguise himself as an elderly amputee?

The Jackal disguised himself as an elderly amputee on Liberation Day to gain access to the building overlooking the ceremony without raising suspicion. The crutch concealed his custom-made rifle, allowing him to enter the building legally and set up his assassination position unnoticed.

  • jackal
  • disguise
  • amputee
  • crutch
  • rifle
  • liberation day

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Day of the Jackal, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Day of the Jackal tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Methodical assassin thrillers similar to The Day of the Jackal

Stories centered on emotionless, precise killers whose professionalism amplifies the dread. If you enjoyed the chillingly detached and precise portrayal of the killer in The Day of the Jackal, you'll find similar tension in these movies. This thread gathers thrillers that focus on professional hitmen, where the suspense is built on their cold-blooded methodology and high-stakes preparations.

  • methodical
  • cold-blooded
  • suspenseful
  • high-stakes
  • clandestine
  • professional
  • Tone: tense, clinical, cold-blooded
  • Pacing: fast-paced, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows the meticulous preparations of a highly skilled assassin, often from their perspective. The plot is driven by the step-by-step execution of their plan, where even minor setbacks are handled with cold efficiency. The drama unfolds from the contrast between their emotionless work and the desperate efforts to stop them.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared focus on a specific type of antagonist: the professional hitman. They generate suspense through methodical detail, clinical violence, and the unsettling portrayal of assassination as a craft, creating a distinct, anxiety-inducing vibe.

High-stakes race against time thrillers like The Day of the Jackal

Frantic pursuits where a dedicated investigator tries to stop a catastrophe against a ticking clock. For viewers who loved the desperate, time-pressured investigation in The Day of the Jackal, this thread features similar movies with high-stakes manhunts. These stories capture the tension of a frantic search to avert a catastrophe, focusing on the procedural details and mounting pressure of the chase.

  • desperate
  • high-stakes
  • urgent
  • suspenseful
  • race against time
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, desperate, urgent
  • Pacing: fast-paced, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative structure alternates between the antagonist's progress and the protagonist's increasingly desperate investigation. The plot is linear and driven by a clear deadline, with each side adapting to the other's moves. The emotional journey is one of mounting pressure, near-misses, and the immense weight of potential failure.

Why they belong together: These movies are connected by their core narrative engine: a frantic race against a hard deadline to stop a major event. They share a fast pace, high intensity, and a tense tone generated by the constant pressure of the clock and the high consequences of failure.

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Every angle

The Day of the Jackal (1973) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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