— Over what range will you fire?
— I’m not sure yet but probably not more than 400 feet.
— Will the gentleman be moving?
— Stationary.
— Will you go for a head shot or a chest shot?
— Probably head.
— What about the chance of a second shot?
— Well I might get the chance but I doubt it. In any event I’ll need a silencer to escape.
— In that case you’d better have explosive bullets. I can prepare a handful along with the gun.
— Glycerin or mercury?
— Mercury.
— …
— Much cleaner.

Fred Zinnemann’s The Day of the Jackal is one hell of an exciting movie. I wasn’t prepared for how good it really is: it’s not just a suspense classic, but a beautifully executed example of filmmaking. It’s put together like a fine watch. The screenplay meticulously assembles an incredible array of material, and then Zinnemann choreographs it so that the story–complicated as it is–unfolds in almost documentary starkness. — Roger Ebert