Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Director: Sidney Lumet

Screenplay: Frank Pierson (based on the article by P.F. Kluge and Thomas Moore)

Cast: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Chris Sarandon

Time: 125 minutes

Bottom-line:  Edge-of-the-seat suspense, with riveting tension

The robbery should have taken ten minutes.

Based on the true bank robbery incident orchestrated by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturale in 1972, Dog Day Afternoon is a faithful two-hour recreation of the same incident. The film stars Al Pacino and John Cazale in the lead roles, with Chris Sarandon, Charles Durning and James Broderick in the supporting roles.

Four hours later, the bank was like a circus sideshow.

August 22, 1972: Sonny Wortzik (Pacino) and his partners Salvatore “Sal” Naturale (Cazale) and Stevie plan to rob the First Brooklyn Savings Bank. Almost immediately after they take out their guns, Stevie loses his nerve and flees. Sonny discovers that they have arrived after the daily cash pickup, and so, only $1100 is left in the bank. He then takes all the traveller’s cheques, and to prevent them from being traced, burns the bank register. The fire attracts the attention of the people across the street, and soon, a bunch of cops, led by Sergeant Moretti (Durning), surround the bank. Sonny and Sal hold the members of the bank hostage, while planning a getaway route. As minutes become hours, the tension rises among the robbers, hostages, cops and the public. What is the outcome of this foiled robbery?

Pacino as Sonny (right) and Cazale as Sal 

Eight hours later, it was the hottest thing on TV.

The two-hour duration of the film covers incidents that take place over half a day or so, and as far as viewing experience is concerned, it is effectively in real-time. Lumet – although taking the material from a real incident – gives great importance to the characters rather than the incidents, and that what makes Dog Day Afternoon different from other hostage films, like Die Hard or Speed. Sonny is constantly looking to “keep everyone happy”, by negotiating. His calmness wins the admiration of the public, and even the FBI agent who replaces Moretti later; and in fact, the hostages get along with the robbers – they even toy around with Sonny’s gun. Sal, on the other hand, means only business. All he wants is to get out of the situation at any cost.

Sarandon as Leon

Twelve hours later, it was history.

The psychological games played by Sonny and the cops keep you riveted in your seat. The tension atmosphere that exists within the bank room is superbly created. It is amazing, in retrospect, when you think of all the things that could have gone wrong had Sonny or the cops lost their patience; that level of control is what keeps the suspense at screaming point. Sonny’s psyche is also disturbed with the involvement of Leon (Sarandon), his transgender wife, and his mother, who attempt to dissuade him from the robbery. Al Pacino’s acting takes the film to a whole new level: his bargaining tactics, his cunning, the way he prepares for practically any operation the cops might pull off, and his panache and showmanship in front of his fans… this might not be his most famous roles, but certainly one of his best.

The hostages, along with Sonny

And it is all true.

With Lumet’s splendid direction – he seems to have a knack for directing real time films (12 Angry Men – what a masterpiece!) – and Pacino’s wonderful acting, Dog Day Afternoon is a film that is more than just a hostage situation; there is so much more depth to the characters and way the situations are portrayed… and that makes it considerably more effective.

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 95%