Dog day afternoon

When I started watching Dog Day Afternoon (Lumet/1975) my expectations were low. I took a deep breath and awaited a long and boring movie about machismo bank robbers. But from the initial minutes onwards, I was totally enthralled by the story and the way it was told. The plot is very simple. Three robbers walk into a bank and they all seem to think that the job will be done in a few moments. One of the robbers, confessing it being unable for him to get through with the robbery, deserts the others while the remaining duo find themselves trapped inside the bank as a horde of police officers gather outside. Sonny, a character pinpointed by Al Pacino with grace and humor, is the brain behind the events and he negotiates with the police about how to resolve the hostage situation so that nobody gets hurt.

While these events are all quite conventional elements of the genre, there is much in the film that offers a much more unique take on the subject. The film contains, I soon found out, many interesting comments about political movements active in the beginning of the 70's. As the police gathers outside the bank, a bustling, roaring crowd turns up as well. The crowd displays their contempt for the police, which, for them, represents the illegitimate violence in the same way as did the war in Vietnam.

Violence is treated in a far more realistic way than what is usually the case. In this film, the mere presence of a gun creates tension and fear. When violence actually takes place, the effect is immediate and brutal.

The motive of the robbery is soon revealed. Sonny needs money to fund a sex change operation for his lover. This theme is well worked out, and I was very impressed by the critical stance of the film (even though I was slightly worried that I tended to think along the lines of the film being "before its time"). The two lovers were simply portrayed as two people who are seen as outcasts by the surrounding society. The gentle performance of Pacino in this context was great.

From a more historical point of view; it was interesting to see that "the gay movement" was depicted as a strong societal movement. In an amusing scene, the other robberer, a gloomy character called Sal, is agonized because TV reporters claim them being "two homosexual bank robbers". Sonny tries to pacify him by telling him it's no big deal, but Sal keeps nagging about it in scene after scene. This scene is no exception; many moments in the film provide for a quiet sense of humour. Jokes about swear-words among the bank tellers, the stern, ridiculous face of a police officer, the nervous demenour of Sonny's not-so-brainy-partner Sal. (The Swedish translation of the title of the film is, btw, En satans eftermiddag - good choice!)

Dog day afternoon even surpasses my other favorite hostage-theme movie -Albino alligator (1996).