Dog Day Afternoon (Classic Tuesdays)

Lumet’s forensic approach to US urban drama has rarely been seen to better effect than in this mid-70s masterpiece. A bank heist with an unexpected motivation quickly goes awry: what follows is a pitch-black tragicomedy of errors as Sonny (Pacino, brilliant throughout) attempts to negotiate interventions by the cops, the media, the bank staff hostages and an increasingly vocal public. And yes – incredible as it seems, this is based on a true story…

96% – Rotten Tomatoes

8 / 10 – IMDB

“A great film takes on different shadings over time.”

“Dog Day Afternoon is possibly the most perfect entry among the dozens of great gritty Seventies movies that provided me with a durable memory library of cinematic brilliance.”