Classic: Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

The Plot

Sonny and Sol plan to rob a bank in downtown Brooklyn in broad daylight. They just plan to sneak in some cash and get out of the scene quietly. But, there is no cash in the lockers and a major police battalion lands outside the bank very soon.

What follows are a series of negotiations between the police and Sonny. Sonny wants a jet, a limousine and a helicopter to get out of the country. He also wants to speak to his wife and his gay lover Leon. Sonny plans this robbery to fund Leon’s sex change operation.

Sonny has to handle the emotional torture that he is subjected to by his wife, mother and Leon. He also has to keep the hostages i.e. the bank employees from panicking.

What happens to Sonny’s plan to escape from the country in the jet and what happens to his partner and the hostages is the culmination. This is a true life incident that happened in October 1972.

                                                                          

Hits

• Al Pacino’s best performance in his early days. He looks freaking handsome and the intensity, the emotional instability and the fire in his belly make Sonny, one of his best characters till date. His ‘Remember Attica’ chants and the way he wins over the watching public is terrific.
• The way the camera follows Al as he shouts ‘Attica’ and when he throws money to the public, particularly the aerial helicopter shots, is darn impressive.
• The raw intensity and energy of the streets has been captured very well.
• The bonding between the female bank hostages and Sonny and Sal is quite different and not the norm generally seen in such robbery films.
• The way the public is fascinated by the media and their joy at being the center of focus, has been brought out very well.  Particularly, the lady employee’s joy at being interviewed and the pizza guy’s reactions after delivering pizza to Sonny.
• How the public gets influenced so easily is another side track of this movie. The way Sonny wins over the pro-gay crowd and antagonizes the anti-gay crowd just because of his decision to support his gay wife Leon, is a case in point.
• John Cazale as Sal looks grim and serious throughout the movie and Charles Durning as police officer Moretti matches Al Pac with his aggression and intensity while he negotiates with him

VERDICT

A great true life incident brought out on screen thanks to Al Pacino’s glorious energy, innocent yet handsome looks and endearing charisma. Kudos to the legendary late Sidney Lumet for this effort.