CINEMIKE: Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Director: Sidney Lumet

“Attica! Attica! Attica!”

Al Pacino strides triumphantly up and down in front of the crowd, fist raised into the air. Armed police scramble to control the throng and a hostage negotiator yells incoherently. It’s a fantastic scene. For an ignorant Brit such as myself, your thought process might run along the lines of “I have absolutely no idea what Attica means, but I want to know more.”

Dog Day afternoon was a film I knew almost nothing about at all going in. I recognised the title. If pressed, I might be able to say the decade it was released. But the plot? The actors? No idea. Could it be related to Reservoir Dogs? Amores Perros? Pound Puppies? All I knew was that it had a dumb name (‘Dog Day’ is not a phrase I’ve ever heard before, in any context).

In this case I relish my ignorance, because Dog Day Afternoon is a film that seems almost custom-made to suit my taste. One location for most of the film? Check. Distinguished actors and director? Check. A blend of tragic comedy and suspense? Double check. The surprise was very welcome.

The film covers the events of a real bank robbery, committed in New York in 1972 by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturale. As you might expect, things quickly go wrong and the robbery turns into a day-long hostage standoff. The robbers are played by Al Pacino and John Cazale respectively, although their names are changed in the film to Sonny and Sal.

One of the most striking things about the opening of the film, one that made a distinct first impression on me, is how young and fresh-faced Al Pacino looks. Considering this film was made after Godfather Part 2 had been released, it’s remarkable. I have no idea what wizardry was used to achieve this look, but it’s very effective. The impressiveness is doubled by the fact that Pacino appears to age about 10 years over the course of the film, as stress and exhaustion take their toll.

As impressive as this is, the real standout of this film is the acting. Pacino, playing Sonny, is simply fantastic. In a truly sensational performance he runs the entire gamut of emotions from bewilderment, anger and sorrow to compassion and exhaustion (sometimes simultaneously). This is, to my mind, the best performance of his career. Although Al Pacino is now somewhat a parody of himself who looks like a melting Al Pacino wax doll, he’s truly captivating in this film.

The rest of the cast- even the hostages who have two or three lines apiece- are also great. John Cazale, who plays the curiously passive Sal, is brilliant and responsible for some of the best lines of the film.

This film is a rare case of clashing tones done right. Dog Day Afternoon is equal parts bumbling comedy, tense crime thriller, and emotional drama. The fact that it can switch between all three and still remain cohesive is a testament to the skill of those who made it. Our robbers are sympathetic and almost hopelessly inept, yet also slightly unhinged and dangerous. You can see the comedic confusion on Pacino’s face as he tries to deal with requests from hostages, his frustration as he’s interviewed by newscasters, his anger and indignation as he argues with the police negotiator.

The fact that that film is almost entirely set inside the bank (and the street outside) helps this enormously. Having so little chance for changes in scene or action, all effort goes into the dialogue and writing (the script was written by the fantastic Frank Pierson). There is nothing to distract us from what is happening to the characters. This is very much my kind of film.

What makes this film something of a curio is that much of the dialogue as improvised, albeit around a script. Lumet (who also directed 12 Angry Men) made a great choice in not restricting his actors too much; the result feels spontaneous and exhilarating, as if it were all happening for the first time. He is clearly aware of where the strengths of the film lie and makes full use of them, namely the skill of his main cast and the idea he has to work with. The oppressive atmosphere of the bank, on a hot summer’s day without air conditioning, comes across brilliantly and the lack of music makes each scene that much more genuine.

Other crime films might give us protagonists who are complex, but not necessarily deep. Dog Day afternoon gives us criminals who are both.

Verdict

This inopportune afternoon was over too soon.

9/10

IMDB – Dog Day Afternoon