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The Assassination

Name: The Assassination
Genre: Thriller, History
Released: 1972-10-04
Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Michel Piccoli, Jean Seberg, Gian Maria Volonté, Michel Bouquet

1972 | 123 min | Thriller, History

Weeknight Watchearly rating

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With almost no lasting buzz, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and history buffs. If you loved JFK or The Man Who Knew Too Much, start here.
The mood: Tense.
The pace: Fast-moving, at 2 hr 3 min.
What might put you off: Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Made in 1972: an older pace and style.

Darien, a left-wing police informant, is forced to lure his old friend Sadiel to Paris, allegedly to film a television special about the Third World. Sadiel, the exiled leader of a North African state, is being hunted by the ruthless Colonel Kassar, who will stop at nothing to capture his political rival. Once Sadiel arrives in Paris, Darien realizes he has been manipulated. He tries to turn back the clock, not realizing what or who he’s truly dealing with.

How it earned its rating

CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 9K people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Yves Boisset

Jean-Louis TrintignantFrançois Darien
Michel PiccoliColonel Kassar
Jean SebergEdith Lemoine
Gian Maria VolontéSadiel
Michel BouquetLempereur
Bruno CremerMichel Vigneau
Daniel IvernelAntoine Acconetti
Philippe NoiretPierre Garcin
François PérierRené Rouannat
Roy ScheiderMichael Howard