After a respite, during which we prefer to sit outside in warm weather, Kim and I sat down to watch the 1975 film that I had seen in the theater. I swore I had the DVD, but it was missing, so we gave Jeff Bezos $3.79 to rent it. He’s getting married and needs the money.

            Dog Day Afternoon is based on a true story. The movie is fifty years old, and Kim had never seen it, nor would she this particular evening. Kim has had two hectic weeks. Last weekend, when people usually try to rest, she was not able to and struggled to stay awake tonight. Of the little bit, her eyes were open, she commented on Sonny, “he’s stupid.” Very accurate.

            The movie opens with a montage of sites around Brooklyn set to Elton John’s “Amoreena.” Initially, Sal (the late, great John Cazale- more about him at the end) enters a bank carrying a briefcase. Sonny (Al Pacino) follows carrying a flower box. Sal has a submachine gun, and Sonny has a rifle. I had forgotten that there would be three men, but the third man lost his nerve.

            The film is about a botched bank robbery, which involves hours of drama and incompetence on the part of both the robbers and law enforcement. I am sure my fourteen-year-old self followed the plot and did not appreciate what I did this time.

            Al Pacino is a tour de force. As the movie is set on this one-block stretch of an urban street, Pacino’s Sonny is amazing—a powerful presence waving a white handkerchief. I immediately wondered, how the hell did he NOT win Best Actor? Google told me it was Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. That made sense, and we have that on our list.

            This is the first time I (Cary) saw Pacino on screen. My non-reading parents (that would change with retirement) had this book called The Godfather lying around in paperback, but I never processed what that meant. My Godfather, Uncle Dale, had a 50CC minibike, and his wife, Aunt Doris (Dee Dee), was childless and spoiled the hell out of me. That was more compelling at the time than the mafia.

            I am not sure that this would have made the silver screen if it were not a true story. The entire episode is so bizarre that it could not have been made up by a human mind. In both the real story and the film, it is a miracle that there was not more bloodshed.

            Once the inept robbers discover the police are on them, the movie shifts between the quiet bank interior of Cazale’s quiet and menacing Sal and Sonny’s sidewalk interactions with police sergeant Eugene Moretti, played masterfully by Charles Durning. Great acting, dialogue, all of it—director Sidney Lumet nailed it.

            Sonny has two wives, Leon and Angie. That is not a typo. He has two children with Angie. Yes, Leon is a man. Sonny has a heated conversation with Angie, which involves a lot of yelling, and he hangs up on her. His similar call to Leon is quiet, and one learns more of the complexity of their relationship. When you meet these two influences in Sonny’s life, you can develop an understanding of why his life is as screwed up as it is. You also learn why the bank robbery took place.

            The movie slows down as darkness begins to set in. Sonny thinks he has negotiated a deal to get a plane to take him and Sal to Algeria. The law takes its time and stalls as they develop their plan. As Durning’s character fades away, FBI agent Sheldon (played by Matthew Broderick’s father, James) takes over with a no-bullshit attitude. Sonny seems intimidated by him, but may think their flight and escape are imminent.

            Sonny, Sal, and the nine hostages are loaded into a van or small 1970s bus, and a caravan of police cars heads to Kennedy airport. In the darkened van, Pacino’s darting eyes dominate the screen. Sal sits in the back, his weapon pointed up at the FBI agent’s behest, who is driving. Sal is nervous as he has never been on a plane.

            I don’t do spoiler alerts if you have read our reviews before. I must stop here, apologies.

            This movie stands in stark contrast to many films today. If you want to see action, gunfire, car chases, and the like, don’t watch it. If you’re looking for great acting and a terrific Oscar-winning screenplay, find it and watch it. Pacino’s hyperactive and confused Sonny juxtaposes Cazale’s brooding but frightening Sal.

            John Cazale appeared in only five films during his career: The Godfather 1 and 2, The Conversation, this movie, and The Deer Hunter. All five were nominated for Best Picture, and three won. His girlfriend was a pretty decent actress; you may have heard of Meryl Streep, who has won three Best Actress awards. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1977 and died a year later at just forty-two. Cazale remains one of the most outstanding character actors in film history.