6 replies to this topic

[Guy Haines]

I dipped into Roger Moore's autobiography "My Word Is My Bond" the other day, and came across an intriguing claim, namely that Roger wanted to portray Frederick Forsyth's most famous character, the nameless assassin in the 1973 film "The Day Of The Jackal".

The film is one of my all time non-Bond favourites - even though you know the outcome, you still think the assassin might just hit his target, so well crafted is this film.

Its hard now to imagine anyone other than Edward Fox in the title role, but I wonder - how would Roger have played the part? My guess is he would have surprised audiences and critics alike who were used to his relatively lighter roles in "The Saint" and "The Persuaders". Certainly according to his book, Roger Moore was up for the part and rather crushed that he didn't get it.

[David Schofield]

Yes, heard the rumour a while back. Wasn't Mike Caine a strong favourite as well, but advised that Freddie's producers went with an unknown to enhance the anonymity of the Jackal?

Frankly, as a huge fan of THE MAN WHO HAUNTED HIMSELF, I think Rog could have done it. Had he kept his natural instincts to mug and piss about with his facial expressions under control - to play someone OTHER than Roger Moore as he had in THE MAN - I think it could have worked.

The Jackal doesn't say much, and so I have every reason we could have avoided Rog's verbal haminess.

And if he could have transfered the darkside of Pelham - an apparently charming, extremely handsome man who is a totally selfish, using - into the Jackal, the impact of "The Saint goes nasty" could have been extremely shocking to see.

And no less impactful than Fox's anonymous version.

[Dustin]

Had he done The Jackal, would he then have gotten Bond?

[jrcjohnny99]

Both Moore and Caine were considered ultimately too recognisable to play the role;
Zinnerman wanted someone the audiences could accept would go un-noticed;
I'm not sure how much Roger was in discussions, but Caine campaigned very strongly for it.

[Guy Haines]

Yes, heard the rumour a while back. Wasn't Mike Caine a strong favourite as well, but advised that Freddie's producers went with an unknown to enhance the anonymity of the Jackal?

Frankly, as a huge fan of THE MAN WHO HAUNTED HIMSELF, I think Rog could have done it. Had he kept his natural instincts to mug and piss about with his facial expressions under control - to play someone OTHER than Roger Moore as he had in THE MAN - I think it could have worked.

The Jackal doesn't say much, and so I have every reason we could have avoided Rog's verbal haminess.

And if he could have transfered the darkside of Pelham - an apparently charming, extremely handsome man who is a totally selfish, using - into the Jackal, the impact of "The Saint goes nasty" could have been extremely shocking to see.

And no less impactful than Fox's anonymous version.

I agree. "The Man Who Haunted Himself" was proof that Roger Moore could go way beyond the "light comedic" roles that he had been pigeon-holed into. If Roger had played The Jackal, given the utter ruthlessness of that character, it might have been a shocker for audiences along the lines of Henry Fonda's appearance in "Once Upon A Time In The West"

[marktmurphy]

I think he could ave done it, but he'd have been miscast as the Jackal really benefited from being anonymous: chisel-jawed, 10 foot-tall Rog is anything but anonymous!

[Miles Miservy]

I agree. The film was significantly loyal to the book (as loyal as screenplays CAN be). I thought the remake in the 90's with Bruce Willis & Richard Gere was a gross waset of time.