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IMDb > Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Dog Day Afternoon
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Dog Day Afternoon (1975) More at IMDbPro »

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Dog Day Afternoon (1975) -- A man robs a bank to pay for his lover's operation; it turns into a hostage situation and a media circus.

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
P.F. Kluge (article) and
Thomas Moore (article) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Dog Day Afternoon on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 September 1975 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The robbery should have taken 10 minutes. 4 hours later, the bank was like a circus sideshow. 8 hours later, it was the hottest thing on live T.V. 12 hours later, it was all history. And it's all true more
Plot:
A man robs a bank to pay for his lover's operation; it turns into a hostage situation and a media circus. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 17 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(25 articles)
AFI's 100 Years ...100 Movie Quotes
 (From Extra. 4 November 2009, 4:45 AM, PST)

A Conversation with Katt Shea
 (From Fangoria. 20 October 2009, 2:07 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Empathic masterpiece more (171 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Al Pacino ... Sonny Wortzik

John Cazale ... Sal

Charles Durning ... Det. Sgt. Eugene Moretti

Chris Sarandon ... Leon Shermer
Sully Boyar ... Mulvaney
Penelope Allen ... Sylvia
James Broderick ... Sheldon

Carol Kane ... Jenny
Beulah Garrick ... Margaret
Sandra Kazan ... Deborah

Marcia Jean Kurtz ... Miriam
Amy Levitt ... Maria
John Marriott ... Howard
Estelle Omens ... Edna
Gary Springer ... Stevie
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
125 min | Finland:131 min (1975)
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Colour (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Germany:12 (re-rating) (2006) | West Germany:16 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | New Zealand:M (re-rating) (2006) | New Zealand:R18 (orginal rating) | Netherlands:MG6 | Portugal:M/18 | Netherlands:12 (original theatrical version) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1976) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:X (original rating)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
According to his authorized biography Al Pacino quit the film at one point and his role was offered to Dustin Hoffman. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Sgt. Moretti and Sonny are negotiating for the cops to bring pizzas, soft drinks, and aspirin, Moretti is holding a bullhorn in his right hand. In the next shot, he's gesturing with his empty right hand. Then the bullhorn is back in his right hand again. more
Quotes:
Sonny: [talking to Sal, waiting for his wife to answer the phone] You know I can call anybody, they'd put it on the phone? The Pope, an astronaut, the wisest of the wise... Who do I have to call? more
Movie Connections:
References The Killing (1956) more
Soundtrack:
Amoreena more

FAQ

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Where exactly in Brooklyn was the bank located?
Is "Dog Day Afternoon" based on a true story?
more
53 out of 60 people found the following comment useful.
Empathic masterpiece, 19 January 2005
8/10
Author: apparentlyblue from United Kingdom

This high-tension thriller captures the true events of one summer afternoon when accomplices Sonny (Pacino) and Sal (Calzale) walk into a Brooklyn bank, and rob it.

Of course not all goes to plan. An hour later they're still inside and the bank is surrounded. Cops, media, crowds of fans and the FBI are each hanging to Sonny's every word – and why? Because he has 9 hostages as pawns, a bank as his board and all the time in the world to think up a strategy. Inside the bank however is a different story. You can't help but sympathise with Sonny (due to Pacino's terrific performance) as the first-time bank robber who's unprepared, out of his depth, and just trying to think up a way out. Even the audience begin to feel the effects of Stockholm Syndrome as Pacino's character gains our affections. The 'villain who's a nice guy at heart' could have been disastrously cliché but Pacino's portrayal is nothing short of brilliance. Even Sal with his morbid disposition is magnetising as his childlike innocence shines through. Calzale was wonderfully cast as this awkward accomplice, wordlessly following Sonny. A huge success combining the skills of Lumet with the talent of Pacino for the second time in Pacino's best role yet. A true story that's compelling and tragic but most of all tangible – and that's what makes it so powerful.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
best performance by an actor not to win the Oscar nccomet
Pacinos Emotional acting films-550-261689
The best movie... dodgefastquick
A detective at the scene that day... honeybeeproductions
Who called the police on them? jan1919@hotmail.com
They don't make 'em like they used to ashtontylo
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