30/32
The Jackal is an elusive assassin who makes his money by carrying out murders for top fees. He soon comes across a dogged 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 show made the cut. Forsyth worked as a freelance journalist covering the Biafra 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 prospect of a job, no flat, no car and no savings. Then I had this crazy, crazy idea to write a novel. ‘Everyone said it was a joke or I was mad because the chances of it even getting published are a hundred to one, a thousand even.’ Within weeks of release, the film rights were gone. Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars vied to play the Jackal in the 1973 film, but the role went to then-unknown Edward Fox because director Fred Zinnemann thought he could pass invisible in a crowd. (Air Mail). Quoted on The Graham Norton Show: Denzel Washington/Paul Mescal/Saoirse Ronan/Eddie Redmayne/Blossoms (2024). Eddie Redmayne delivers a riveting performance, embodying the titular assassin with a chilling precision that makes him both terrifying and magnetic. Redmayne’s meticulous approach to the role ratchets up the tension, making his every move seem calculated and inevitable. His ability to combine charm with menace ensures that audiences are both repelled and intrigued, and captures the essence of the character’s duality. Unfortunately, Lashana Lynch’s portrayal pales in comparison, coming across as wooden and unimaginative. Her portrayal of a determined secret service agent lacked depth, often coming across as one-dimensional and reliant on cliches. In a series that thrives on nuance and detail, her character’s lack of complexity is a negative. Overall, the film is a compelling adaptation, but it struggles at times with uneven performances. Redmayne’s brilliance alone makes it worth watching, but Lynch’s shortcomings detract somewhat from the experience.