ASSASSINS!

Assassination is a true horror in real life, and yet there are many excellent movies on that subject. Some of these are based on actual incidents; some are entirely fictitious.
The granddaddy of assassination films has to be All The King’s Men (1949). Broderick Crawford is just right as Willie Stark , a character obviously (but somewhat loosely) based on Louisiana governor Huey Long. He is gunned down by a jealous husband, ably portrayed by North Carolinian Sheppherd Strudwick. For my money, this version is superior to the 2005 film with Sean Penn. 
Ben Kingsley is mesmerizing as the saintly Gandhi (1982). He was the leader of the drive for independence by India, and a model for non-violent protests. The man who brought the mighty British Empire to its knees without firing a shot is dispatched by a murderer with an extremely vague purpose. 
Clint Eastwood is at his absolute peak in the white-knuckler In The Line Of Fire (1973), as a Secret Service agent suffering guilt pangs over JFK’s assassination. In this film he is engaged in a battle of wits with a crazy but wily villain who wants to kill the current president. John Malkovich is perfect as the would-be assassin. 
Some of the best assassination films are based on failed attempts. One of the very best is The Day Of The Jackal (1973), fictionally based on an attempt on France’s Charles DeGaulle. And since we know he didn’t get shot, the end shouldn’t be a surprise. And yet, this is a very suspenseful film, with Edward Fox as the assassin.
On the same shelf is the equally supercharged The Eagle Has Landed (1977), based on a fictional attempt on the life of Winston Churchill. Based on Ken Follett’s excellent novel, which it follows assiduously, it is so well done that you find yourself almost pulling for the German soldiers out to get the prime minister! 
Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (2009) features Brad Pitt as the leader of a squad of assassins out to do in the entire Nazi high command, Hitler included. Christoph Waltz is outstanding as the smarmiest, and smartest, German around. It was nominated for eight Oscars, but the only winner was Mr. Waltz for Best Supporting Actor. 
John Travolta is a movie sound technician unconvinced that a politician’s death was not murder in Blow-Out (1981), when he accidentally records the sound of the fatal car crash. His insistence on that result leads to his own life being endangered. 
Some other good assassination flicks include Oliver Stone’s quite fictional JFK (1991), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), and The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2005).
All of the films in this column are available on DVD and for streaming. All are for mature audiences.