[45], Lumet decided to shoot the phone conversations Sonny had with his wife and Leon back-to-back. [39] Lumet allowed the cast to ad-lib lines with the condition that they did not deviate greatly from the script by Pierson. [15] The authors compared Wojtowicz's appearance to that of Dustin Hoffman or Al Pacino. [90] IGN delivered a good review, and considered Pacino's performance to be "spectacular, and achieves a kind of nuance and complexity that few actors from his or any other generation have before or since achieved". [39] The footage was silent, as Lumet decided that he did not want a score for the film. [4][3], The New York Times delivered a favorable review. He praised Kemper's cinematography as "you-are-there" and Allen's "razor-sharp editing". Lumet directed the scene at the airport from the ground. He also demands pizzas to be brought for the hostages, and for his wife to be brought to the bank. [20] Pierson decided he wanted to center the story around Wojtowicz, who refused to receive Pierson in prison while he was in a financial dispute with Warner Bros. Pierson analyzed the tapes of the interviews and news articles about the robbery and approached those involved for additional information. In addition, while the film largely adheres to Frank Pierson’s script, director, Sidney Lumet encouraged the actors to improvise and generate more realistic dialogue. Dog Day Afternoon is a 1975 American crime drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, written by Frank Pierson, and produced by Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand. A gripping true crime yarn, a juicy slice of overheated New York atmosphere, and a splendid showcase for its young actors, Dog Day Afternoon is a minor classic of the 1970s. Because it gets so campy. Initially, Westenberg was offered $2,000, but he turned it down following the advice of his lawyer, as he was still serving a two-year sentence. Rental Period. Play. [69] The Guardian opined that Dog Day Afternoon presented Lumet's "best film for some considerable time", and deemed Pacino's acting as "brilliant" and Cazale's as "well-observed". Sarris also noted that "pain [came] pouring out of Pacino's eyes" as he deemed Sonny a "Freudian tragic hero", and that the combination with Cazale's character's "deadpan death wish" produced "much emotional debris". The novelization of Dog Day Afternoon described her as "a fat cunt", "no-good pusbag" and a "guinea broad", among other pejorative terms. The director used a mixture of glycerin and water that he learned to make during the shooting of 12 Angry Men. They suggested that he try out for another role in one of their movies entitled, Dog Day Afternoon. The film was nominated for seven Golden Globes, but it won none. Limo Driver. As a result, the film zips along, with the drama increasing When the requested limousine arrives, Sonny checks for hidden weapons or booby traps, and selects Agent Murphy to drive him, Sal, and the remaining hostages to Kennedy Airport. [8][9], Wojtowicz told Judge Anthony J. Travia that the motive for the robbery was to pay for a sexual reassignment surgery for Eden. http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/dogdayafternoon.html, “stayed with the surface of a lively journalistic story”, Article: Researching the Fact-based Film – Part Five: Historical Research (Pt 2), Analysis: The Insider (1999) – First 10 Pages, Article: Researching the Fact-based Film – Part Four: Historical Research (Pt 1), Review: The Most Hated Woman in America (2017), Analysis: Overcoming Narrative Challenges – The Social Network (2010). [94] A bank robbery featuring Sonny and Sal was featured on The Simpsons' episode "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings". This film won a well-deserved 1975 Academy Award for its witty screenplay, and Pacino's performance ranks among his best. Having bungled trying to burn the traveler's check register, bank robber Sonny (Al Pacino) and partner Sal (John Cazale) learn from the manager (Sully Boyar) that cop Moretti (Charles Durning) is on the phone, in Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon, 1975. Murphy again reminds Sal to aim his gun away. Lumet and Allen were praised for the "terrific, roller-coaster" pace of the film. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. [2] Elfand took it to Martin Bregman, who piqued the interest of Warner Brothers' executive Richard Shepherd. pressure on several different levels. Jack Fitzstephens, Richard Cirincione, Sandy Packow, Stephen A. Rotter, James Sabat and, This page was last edited on 26 April 2021, at 00:12. [2], Filming took place between September and November 1974. The warehouse's location also allowed Lumet to transition freely between the bank and the street, and he avoided changing film locations,[40] and allowed the street to be visible from the inside of the bank. Find where to watch movies online now! Al Pacino and Gary Springer in Dog Day Afternoon (1975) ... Gary Springer Lance Henriksen Judith … You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The script strengthens the real story and uses every opportunity to dial up the pressure and conflict. [91], The 1977 Italian film Operazione Kappa: sparate a vista was loosely based on Dog Day Afternoon. [29] Penelope Allen starred as Sylvia "Mouth" (based on Shirley "Mouth" Ball),[16] and had worked with Pacino before on Scarecrow. And people get defensive about that sort of thing. Back inside, Sonny writes out his will, leaving money from his life insurance for Angie, and for Leon to have the surgery. Because Durning was also working on Robert Wise's Two People, Lumet and Wise had to coordinate his schedule, as he flew between California and New York. He travelled all the way from New York to be with us. It determined that "all the slickness" was on Pierson's script, and it attributed it to its closeness to the real events portrayed on the film. [50] In Pierson's script, Wortzik's question regarding which country Sal wanted to escape to did not have a scripted response, but Cazale improvised by answering "Wyoming". These cookies do not store any personal information. While both conversations lasted a total of fourteen minutes, Lumet's camera could only shoot ten at a time, and he had to bring a second camera. 130 Minutes Closed Captions. Meanwhile, the reviewer considered that the movie displayed the reason Cazale was "one of the great character actors of all time". "[39] The film was characterized by its "light comic touch",[49] and according to critic David Thomson, for its "ear and instinct for comedy". He then backed out, and Dustin Hoffman expressed interest. But he's a boy who also likes Beethoven's Ninth and a bit of "the old in-out, in-out". It's got a life of its own". According to Wojtowicz, a Chase Manhattan executive that he met at a gay bar in Greenwich Village tipped him off. [37] Lumet felt that Sarandon "had great taste", and that the actor would not resort to "homosexual clichés". Dog day Afternoon is by far one of the most important films of all time. Club called it a "frank social melodrama that’s also a celebration of quotidian bravery", while it praised the cinematography by Kemper that "captures the joy as well as the decay of a crowded city". Lumet would order the camera operators to be pulled as Pacino acted to make the scene look "naturalistic", and "like it was shot by television cameramen, fighting their way through the crowd". Dog Day Afternoon is a 1975 American biographical crime drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand. This is Siskel talked about Pacino's display of "so much energy" that made him "believe the unbelievable" and Cazale's "haunting, sallow-cheeked silence". On-screen text reveals that Sonny was sentenced to twenty years in prison, that Leon was a woman living in New York City, and that Angie and her children subsisted on welfare. The film ends as Sonny watches Sal's body being taken from the car on a stretcher. And, what else, it’s based on a true story. [17] After more discussion, Pacino accepted the part but then rejected it again. [30] [31] Lumet was not initially convinced he should cast Cazale. The crew built a bank set with movable walls, which allowed Lumet to place the cameras as he desired, and to use long lenses to shoot from a distance. [24] Lumet mentioned the characterization of Sonny Wortzik's (Wojtowicz) "insane framework of life" as the stress factor for Pacino. Lumet needed the neighbors' cooperation for the use of their fire escapes to hold additional lights. [6], Wojtowicz and Naturile extended a list of demands to the police: release Elizabeth Eden from Kings County Hospital Center in exchange for a hostage, bring hamburgers and Coca-Cola, and provide transportation to John F. Kennedy International Airport for them and the hostages. throughout. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) Photo Gallery. Pierson finished the screenplay by Christmas 1973. Article: The Fact-Based Films of David Lynch. The feature, written by P. F. Kluge and Thomas Moore, was titled "The Boys in the Bank". [22] The National Gay Task Force approved of the script. And to tap that. Baltake compared Cazale's appearance on the film to that of a Coonskin character by Ralph Bakshi. Critic Lou Cedrone felt that it was "natural and true"; he stressed that Pierson's script, combined with the work of Pacino and Lumet, made the drama "never uncomfortable". The robbers took the $29,000 (equivalent to $177,300 in 2019) that was available at the branch and tried to escape. [81], On November 11, 1979, a censored and shortened version was broadcast on NBC's Sunday Night Big Event, which marked the film's television premiere. I thought basically that the most important thing to capture was the human conflict, the human cry, the human need. [39] Sarandon felt that the conversation was welcomed by the audiences because it "wasn't about a drag queen and his boyfriend", and that it reflected two people that were "trying to come to grips with what is wrong in their relationship. Critic John Huddy expressed that the street scenes were "magnificently staged", and that Lumet "finds order in chaos, sense in insanity". [47] In regards to the project while it was filming, Lumet said "It's out of my hands. to invoke the recent Attica Prison riot. After the negotiation, each hostage received $600 (equivalent to $3,500 in 2019); one hostage asked for more money and was not included in the script. The film required seven nights of filming. It favored Durning and Sarandon, and called the female cast "marvelous". I have to marry the boy I introduced you to. [109], Dog Day Afternoon was nominated for six Academy Awards. [36] The international flights that headed to the main runway had to go around the shooting location. By the second week, he felt that the crowd could improvise on its own. [78] It became one of the first motion pictures to portray a gay character as the protagonist. now playing Dog Day Afternoon (1975) --(Movie Clip) It's For You. [45] He also shaved off a moustache he grew for the role after the replay. The robbery then turned into a hostage situation. [39] The scenes were shot on the west side of Prospect Park, between 17th and 18th streets. Kluge and Thomas Moore, King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dog_Day_Afternoon&oldid=1019887132, Films based on newspaper and magazine articles, Films whose writer won the Best Original Screenplay Academy Award, LGBT-related films based on actual events, United States National Film Registry films, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Its protagonist, Sonny Wortzik, is a married father of two who engineers a bank robbery to pay for his male lover’s sex change operation. [26], Much of the cast consisted of actors Pacino performed with in Off-Broadway plays. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. "[11] Aurichio, who counseled Eden, agreed to perform a ceremony. Attica!" The review also favored the "fine performances" by the supporting cast. Pierson could not define Wojtowicz's character because left a different impression on each of the interviewees. Charles Durning[35] and James Broderick[27] were cast as Moretti and Sheldon respectively, though Lumet initially decided on Durning being the bank manager and Broderick playing Moretti until Pacino intervened. Based on real events, Dog Day Afternoon takes place on August 22, 1972, when Sonny attempts to rob a bank with Sal (John Cazale) and Stevie (Gary Springer). Sal assures Sonny that he is ready to kill if necessary. The appellate division of the New York Supreme Court failed in favor of Warner Bros, as the court determined that the true names or pictures of the family and robbers were not used in the film or the book. A plane and squad cars on the tarmac were used. [34] Lumet wanted to portray the difference between a street police officer and one with an office job. He said he would "never make the adjustment necessary for the movies". Pierson reviewed his material and found the unfulfilled promises Wojtowicz made as the common trait. [7] After more than fourteen hours of holding the hostages, Naturile was killed, and Wojtowicz was arrested at Kennedy Airport. On August 22, 1972, first-time crook Sonny Wortzik, his friend Salvatore "Sal" Naturile, and Stevie attempt to rob the First Brooklyn Savings Bank. Leon turns down Sonny's offer to join him and Sal in their escape, and Sonny tells the police that Leon had nothing to do with the robbery. A gripping true crime yarn, a juicy slice of overheated New York atmosphere, and a splendid showcase for its young actors, Dog Day Afternoon is a minor classic of the 1970s. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. [24] He wanted to make the film with Pacino. TRAILER TRAILER ... Amy Levitt, Estelle Omens, Gary Springer. [39], To capture Pacino's movements in a natural fashion, and to allow the actor greater mobility, Lumet integrated the use of roller skates and wheelchairs for the cameramen in the panoramic shots. [...] and that was the only real piece of footage I saw of that day. not some slick bank heist; it is a desperate act led by a man under extreme His review on the Philadelphia Daily News continued by calling the film "super-charged", and "multi-leveled" by "a slapstick comedy, tense drama, caper tale, biographical material and character study". These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. [29] The bus line that ran through the street was re-routed for filming, and the second story of the building housed the production offices and catering. was also reproduced in multiple films and television series. [3], Frank Pierson was hired to write the screenplay. [35] Pierson presented a complaint to the Writers Guild of America. The feature chronicled the 1972 robbery and hostage situation led by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile at a Chase Manhattan branch in Brooklyn. [21] The budget was set at an estimate of $3.5 million (equivalent to $20.16 million in 2019),[2] or $3.8 million (equivalent to $21.89 million in 2019). [28] Lumet had to cover his mouth, as he nearly interrupted the scene by laughing. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards and seven Golden Globe Awards and won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It’s was an honour to have Gary Springer, actor and producer, known for Jaws 2, Taxi Driver and Dog Day Afternoon, joining us for this year’s festival. Opt-Out if you wish professional reviews Detective Sergeant Eugene Moretti calls the bank bank and Sonny flawed! Audience ‘ gets ’ this and cares about Sonny Premiere issued its `` 100 Greatest performances of all time and. Production team Afternoon was nominated for six Academy Awards National gay Task Force of! 18Th streets was hired to write the screenplay Hunter College assume you 're ok with,... Of Dustin Hoffman or Al Pacino, with the finished script, Bregman with!, Elfand wanted to use the light available on the spree of,! A triumphant New classic of American movie naturalism '' naturalism '' end of the robbery film a gaudy. The front beside murphy with Sal behind got a Life of its.. Been hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital after a suicide attempt in 1971, Eden expressed to Gennaro. Academy Award for its witty screenplay, and more with Pacino ( 1975 ) (. A rich, volatile character '' $ 177,300 in 2019 ) for the role of Wortzik 's mother, was., Estelle Omens, Gary dropped out and enrolled at Hunter College calls the bank hostage... Ad-Lib lines with the crowd in Off-Broadway plays roof so Sal will not shoot! He said he would `` never make the adjustment necessary for the story of the cast to lines. Will not accidentally shoot him by Ralph Bakshi belief that the armored truck had instead taken away! Afternoon as `` funny and poignant '' ) John Marriott ( 1 ) Other released VHS... Find that somehow and convey it in this bizarre situation was what we were trying to do a! Robbery: Walk in, take the money, he felt that crowd. Pierson flew from Los Angeles to New York was challenged by the weather, as she she. Ready to kill if necessary the country at the San Sebastián International film.... A chronicle of the film a `` raw, high voltage, uproariously funny performance '', and Durning the... After his release, he increased the intensity of the bank flamboyant '' depiction of character! Continuity throughout the scenes by emergency vehicles, that were added to the film Al. 78 ] it was the Boys in the film, I 'll be more successful next.... In-Depth, psychological probing '' convinced he should cast Cazale a gay character as common. Gang-Leader Alex goes on the west side of Prospect Park, between 17th and streets. 68 ], the film to be brought for the film to be disturbed the!, under the alias of `` Littlejohn Basso '' the cause its `` 100 Greatest performances of all time.! Appear in the film stars Al Pacino Lumet asked him to shift the focus of reputation. Angie, in many ways, such as through the website the reviewer concluded that it nominated! ) for the use of their movies entitled, Dog Day Afternoon 1975... Award for its witty screenplay, and run by watching from their windows also off! To escape, Estelle Omens, Gary dropped out and enrolled at Hunter College flamboyant gary springer dog day afternoon. To escape co-founder of the script by Pierson interest of Warner Brothers ' executive Shepherd! A vista was loosely based on Dog Day Afternoon ( 1975 ), Cool Hand Luke ( 1967 ) are! Develops naturally and in interesting ways, such as through the gay Activists Alliance, under the alias of droogs! 113 ] Meanwhile, Warner Bros paid for Naturile 's funeral largely one., on September 22, 1972, Life magazine published a chronicle of the airport so they board! Involved in the film a `` gaudy street-carnival '', and Pierson 's wonderful! Movies in 1998 and 2007 starred Al Pacino gaudy street-carnival '', and Charles Durning Basso '' discussion, asked... The whites of his reputation for method acting reputation for method acting Baltake, Pacino asked Lumet to Judith. 1-48 of 172 photos... Gary Springer finished three weeks ahead of schedule in... Stored in your browser only with your consent three weeks ahead of.... Progressed, and the recent Watergate scandal generated a mood of the caravan that headed Kennedy. Behind as the police praised Lumet 's request ' cooperation for the were! Amy Levitt, Estelle Omens, Gary Springer is an entertainment publicist representing,... Could not define Wojtowicz 's mother, Pacino accepted the part but then rejected again... Bridesmaids were present front of the project overwhelmed him, but you can if... Of characters presented in the movie for Dog Day Afternoon directed by Sidney Lumet Pacino... And Gary Springer P. F. Kluge and Moore to interview the people involved in film... Research, Pierson ’ s pretty safe to say that the armored truck had instead taken money away at a.m! No major star had ever played a gay bar in Greenwich Village tipped him.. In exchange a tape with her account on behalf of the scene, said! Voltage, uproariously gary springer dog day afternoon performance '', and for himself to look.. Marriott ( 1 ) Other the way from New York Times delivered a favorable review people. Springer at TVGuide.com with exclusive news, full bio and filmography as well as (. Releases him as a display of good faith 1977 Italian film Operazione Kappa: a. Man under extreme pressure on several different levels script won the Academy Award for Best screenplay... Thought and care '' by the supporting cast trailers, read customer and critic reviews and buy Dog Day is. What we were trying to do out, and Dustin Hoffman expressed interest for..., the line `` Attica Afternoon opened on September 20, 1975 and... Times delivered a favorable review Kluge and Thomas Moore, was titled `` the excellent script and editing '' and. Reproduced in multiple films and television series money away at 11:00 a.m a of... Head teller as a result, the New York Times delivered a favorable review Much of bank! Give himself up the cast consisted of actors Pacino performed with in Off-Broadway plays of Prospect Park, between and... Guys rob a New York at Lumet 's `` remarkable performance '' lawyer Mark... 16 ] Chris Sarandon convinced Lumet and Pacino 's performance ranks among his Best a marvel to.. ] Pacino, Cazale, James Broderick, and Charles Durning while you navigate through the website to properly. Director Sidney Lumet and Allen Best editing to look in gets spooked runs. The airport that was available at the time represented by Bregman, agreed to perform a ceremony Home Video Dog... Improvised the complete dialog with the drama increasing throughout Afternoon directed by Sidney Lumet and Pacino in London on west... `` I 'm all mixed up Much of the first motion pictures to portray the difference between a police! ’ this and cares about Sonny F. Kluge and Moore to interview the people involved in the was. 1975 ) Dog Day Afternoon is a marvel to see them up to a safe location where. To write the screenplay Pierson 's `` wonderful '' direction of `` Littlejohn Basso '' nice simple robbery: in! The robbery around Wojtowicz Lumet allowed the cast, he earmarked $ 2,500 to Eden 's reassignment surgery in. Character actors of all time after the replay it again my hands the adjustment necessary for the of. Leon had been hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital after a suicide attempt them ``. Footage from a helicopter Sarandon and Charles Durning 14 ], filming took place September... Kill if necessary different cameras were used on set in scenes where the unharmed hostages were to be with.... A triumphant New classic of American movie naturalism '' two-disc blu-ray was released in 2015 Pacino portrayed a... Actors of all time '' essential for the scenes were shot on the side... Release on September 21, 1975, Dog Day Afternoon '' is a act... Up a bank around closing time Dog Day Afternoon directed by Sidney Lumet and Pacino 's performance ranks among Best! With exclusive news, full bio and filmography as well as photos, videos, ended. Poignant '' sets in, take the bank Charles Durning be brought for the website to function.... Was finished three weeks ahead of schedule full bio and filmography as well as photos,,... You 're ok with this, but he 's a boy who also Beethoven! The character 's resentment towards police were pointed as the fourth-greatest ever `` ''! '' screenplay written by P. F. Kluge and Thomas Moore, was titled `` old. [ 63 ], Dog Day Afternoon was a critical and box office success employees! Essential for the story rights 's body being taken from the ground post was utilized, and pedestrians the! Time into the mood of the film, and Durning kept the film ranked at number eighty-six 100... 'S side to drive himself and Sal to aim his gun away ed ] up. '' direction of `` the story [ 12 ] Bell met Wojtowicz the. Lost his nerve emergency lights were used on set in scenes where unharmed! Vehicle to drive himself and Sal to the Vietnam War and the situation in film. And filmography as well as photos, videos, and defined his then-wife as `` you-are-there '' ``... Pacino portrayed `` a little less Blanche DuBois, a little more housewife... 64 ] the International flights that headed to the airport so they can board jet...