DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975)

This film is based upon the true story of an attempted bank robbery occuring in Brooklyn, NY in 1972 which eventually became a prolonged hostage situaion and at the center of it was Sonny, a troubled soul who gets in way over his head.  Sonny is played by Oscar-winner Al Pacino (The Godfather Trilogy, Heat, Scent of a Woman) and the film was directed by the late, great LEGEND....Five-time Oscar-nominee Sidney Lumet (Network, 12 Angry Men, The Verdict) smack in the middle of sterling '70's runs for both actor AND director!  And the film itself become a phenonenon....not only a box office hit and an acclaimed Oscar contendor (six nominations including Best Picture and Best Director) but also one of the more influential crime drama's of the '70s AND one of the quintessential New York movies.  It's a unique story taking several unexpected turns and is at various points tense, funny, and sad.  This modern classic which about to turn 50(!) also co-starts John Cazale, Penelope Allen, Chris Sarandon, Sully Boyar, Lance Henricksen, James Broderick, and Charles Durning.  

Host: Geoff Gershon
Edited By Ella Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

Transcript

DOG DAY AFTERNOON – 1975

Directed by Sidney Lumet

Starring Al Pacino, John Cazale, Chris Sarandon, James Broderick, Penelope Allen, Sully Boyer,, Beulah Garrick, Carol Kane, Sandra Kazan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Amy Levitt, John Marriott, Estelle Omens, Lance Henricksen, Charles Mackenzie, and Charles Durning

Genre: Heist/Hostage Drama (Audio clip)

In light of the recent announcement that there's a Broadway stage play adaptation of this coming next spring, it makes perfect sense rewatching this now because Sydney Lumet's classic is perfectly structured like a three act play with THREE distinct acts. The FIRST 30 minute act is pretty much a comedy of errors...Sonny (Pacino in one of his best career performances) rapidly stumbling his way through the kick-off to this bank robbery in Brooklyn. It's borderline slapstick at points but never to distracting levels....though Sonny's struggle with burning that ledger and the aftermath IS a comic highlight. 😆

The SECOND act which runs about an hour is the rising media circus outside, developing relationships between partners-in-crime Sonny, Sal (John Cazale) and the folks working at the bank, and a tensely rising stalemate. It's THIS part where Sonny briefly becomes Lenny Bruce outside and we get to see Charles Durning truly shine as NYPD Detective Moretti while they both compete to dominate this one narrow block in Brooklyn surrounded by guns. This whole section is as much social commentary as anything, delving into what makes this one of THE Ultimate New York movies! 

And then the THIRD act is very much the tragic comedown - there's admittedly enormous tension wrung out that drive to the airport with young Lance Henricksen's (was he ever actually YOUNG) Murphy in tow to help drive that tension LITERALLY as the Fed driving them to the airport as you just know he's got something under his sleeve. 🙁 It's overall a sad chamber piece for Pacino as we finally grasp the full weight of every bad and/or impulsive decision made by his Sonny now crashing down on him. He knows that EVEN if he manages to make it to Algeria, he's just not getting out of this cleanly. It also ends on a pitch-perfect note: Pacino's anguished mug slumped against a car while we hear the deafening sounds of plane engines overhead. 

And besides Pacino, everyone in the cast genuinely shines no matter how little screentime from Lionel Pina stealing his giddy moment as the "Pizza Boy" to Penelope Allen's Sylvia as the feisty head bank Teller to Phillip Charles MacKenzie effectively looking grim and truly overwhelmed as "The Doctor" to James Broderick who just looks BORN to play THAT one intimidating Federal agent whom the local cops are clearly dreading handing jurisdiction over. 😮 He plays Sheldon who apparently takes command of the hostage situation over from Durning's more sympathetic Moretti as night starts to fall....did that whole "Uh-oh, the Feds are taking over!" trope which blossomed with Die Hard and continue over decades through The Negotiator and Inside Man start with him? 🤔 If so, he certainly set a high bar....

As director, the late great Sydney Lumet was clearly in his gritty New York element here (this was just a couple of years after he directed Pacino in Serpico) but that doesn't make his work any less impressive. He does an adept job of shifting the audience between the more intimate moments inside the bank (especially with Pacino on the phone) and panning above the booming crowds outside.

The only Oscar this film would win would go to screenwriter Frank Pierson (Presumed Innocent, Cool Hand Luke) but with the crisp three act structure and loads of very knowing, naturalistic dialogue, he was clearly deserving.. What a fantastic entertainment this remains...so good that I would relish the opportunity to finally see it on the big screen AND check out the stage version. ;)

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

There is virtually no music heard throughout this movie – no real score and no needle-drops…..EXCEPT and opening credits montage of New York City….various neighborhoods, various characters.  We’re seeing folks at the beach, on construction sites, hanging out in parks, sitting in traffic, or just walking the streets.  It's a true-blue showcase for mid '70's NYC - including the garbage strike - all nicely presented and leading into the opening credits and playing over this montage is a catchy country-rock song from one of THE highest-selling pop stars and certainly one of our greatest living piano players of all time.  Hailing from Middlesex, England, I’m referring to Reginal Kenneth Dwight…..known professionally as Sir Elton John.  The song had actually come out five years prior as part of Sir Elton’s third album released in 1970, “Tumbleweed Connection” and what results is an ingratiating tone setter for the rest of the film which follows, the song is “Amoreena.” (Audio clip)  

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

I mean come on….this is virtually a perfect movie and it’s SO well cast and SO well put together, I can’t think of any one who’s wasted in front OR behind the camera.  That said if I had ONE minor nitpick….because I just love this actor AND his performance so much here, the late great Charles Durning portraying Moretti. At one point, he delivers a nice, silent grace note at least visually signaling to his fellow officers to be respectful when Chris Sarandon’s Leon gets on the phone across the street to have that touching conversation with Sonny.  (Audio clip) 

And from that point on, we never really see nor hear from Moretti again….I mean I get it, the Feds have now taken over, McKenzie’s Sheldon is now in charge.  But would I have liked just maybe a minute of Moretti sticking around and reacting to Sonny and crew boarding that taxi?  Yeah I would have….could have closed the loop on his character, MINOR nitpick mind you. (Audio clip) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

This film is just loaded with great moments, not the least of which is the now iconic "Attica!" scene which remains my personal favorite and occurs about thirty minutes in. :) I’m referring to a BRAVURA sequence when “shit gets real” just outside of the bank.  The police are surrounding, heavily armed, and many have their firearms aimed at Sonny.  As the camera pans all around Sonny stepping outside, it’s definitely absurd…. (Audio clip) 

So Sonny demands that they put their guns down and he does with probably among THE TOP TEN LINES of dialogue ever uttered in a movie.  I just LOVE the way Pacino and Durning feed off of each other's energy….and how the surrounding crowd’s energy feeds off of them….and seeing those surrounding cops holster their weapons in response is definitely the closest this movie comes to an audience-pleasing moment. (Audio clip) 

MVP (person most responsible for the success of this film):

I was pretty torn about this one as the late great Sidney Lumet remains one of our TRUE cinematic masters and among his exhaustively impressive filmography – 12 Angry Men, Fail Safe, Network, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Serpico, and previous episode The Verdict – and this IS one of his masterpieces.  It’s beautifully directed and it has his unmistakable stamp on it as well….

And yet I just CANNOT see this film working nearly as well with a different actor in that lead role…..even among the best from THIS era – Hoffman, Hackman, Nicholson, Scheider, DeNiro.  Pacino just delivers such a unique blend for Sonny with menace, flamboyance, desperation, overconfidence, and a general overall sadness.  It’s not a SUBTLE performance but that’s the point and he just OWNS this movie overall.  For delivering what I believe is likely in a tie with Godfather Part II – which came out just the year before….CRAZY – Al Pacino is the MVP. (Audio clip) 

Final Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Happy 50th Anniversary to not only one of THE best films of the 1970’s but certainly among THE great all-time New York movies.  Definitely Top Five, up there with Goodfellas, Working Girl, along with previous episodes Taxi Driver, Do the Right Thing, and Inside Man which is very much its spiritual successor.  If you haven’t yet seen it….what are you waiting for??

Streaming on HBO Max & Prime Video

And that ends another ATTICA ATTICA….ATTICA ATTICA review!