DOG DAY AFTERNOON
A film review by David Landers
Copyright 1997 David Landers
RATING: *** out of **** - 7.5 out of 10.0 CAST: Al Pacino (Sonny), John Cazale (Sal), Charles Durning (Moretti), Chris Sarandon (Leon) DIRECTOR: Sidney Lumet CERTIFICATION: R (USA) for language and violence YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 1975 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS: Best Picture, Best Actor (Pacino), Best Supporting Actor (Sarandon) ACADEMY AWARDS: Original Screenplay (Frank Pierson)
Based on a true story, DOG DAY AFTERNOON is the story of two Brooklyn men, Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) and Sal (John Cazale), who attempt to rob a bank in a desperate attempt for funds. The funds they hope to gain will be used to pay for the sex-change operation of Sonny's male lover, Leon, played by Chris Sarandon.
Sonny is a former bank employee who knows all the tricks of the trade, which he shows by being, for the most part, well aware of the surroundings. He's worked out his plan completely and knows how to take out all of the bank's possible annoyances. Everything is working out fine until the police show up, headed up by Charles Durning (Moretti). What transpires from here is a multiple-day circus, including the police, media, enthusiastic "fans" of the robbers, and a few unusual characters; namely, a pizza boy and an angry boyfriend of one of the tellers.
DOG DAY AFTERNOON is, overall, a rather enjoyable movie. At times it appears it is an action movie, but at other times it leans towards a comedy/drama. The best performance is turned in by Al Pacino, as the crafty leader. John Cazale also turns in a good performance as Sal, the dumb-witted sidekick who really isn't "all there". For example, Sonny is toying with the idea of taking a plane to a foreign country, and Sal suggests they fly to the far-off country "Wyoming". Chris Sarandon plays a rather odd character as Sonny's gay lover; the one who needs the money to pay for the sex-change operation. The group of bank hostages, a number of female tellers and the manager, also provide a few comical moments throughout the movie.
Complete with a fairly dramatic ending, DOG DAY AFTERNOON is a good flick that you should enjoy. It is agreeable that it could have been better in many ways, but it is one of the more famous bank heist films of the past few decades.
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