Trece Martires City, Cavite

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

ALEX D. ARUGAY
 Dog Day Afternoon

Film Analysis

Introduction

Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon is a film about two out-of-the-ordinary bank tellers.
The plot of this film is based on a true story. Sonny and Sal were the two main characters in the
film. Their initial plan to rob the bank fails, and they are forced to take the employees as hostage.
Because they aren't real bank robbers, they don't use violence against the employees, and as the
movie continues, Sonny must devise a set of options to get himself and Sal out of their
predicament.

Summary

The film depicted a linear narrative robbery at the First Savings Bank in Brooklyn. The
robbery was carried out by three criminals, however one of them, Steve, managed to flee before
being apprehended by police. Sonny and Sal, the two surviving criminals, managed to take the
bank employees hostage when the police arrived, surrounding them for several hours in the bank
after they determined the only money was $1,100 after the daily pickup. Sonny and Sal chose to
rob the bank because Sonny needed money to pay for sex assignment surgery for his homosexual
partner, Leon. The two demanded to be escorted to Kennedy Airport, where they could flee to a
safe location and safely release the hostages. When they arrived at the airport, Sal was shot dead,
and Sonny was arrested.

Analysis

This film is a unique story, it is not a typical crime movie that I’ve ever watched before.
The fact that Lumet based this movie on reality and simultaneously made it entertaining makes
this a very unique piece. Furthermore, the camerawork adds character to various scenes due to its
movements. For example, when Sonny first pulls out his weapon to hold up the bank, the
camerawork is wobbly and awkward, emphasizing Sonny's carelessness in pulling out his rifle.
Lumet also emphasizes the discontent of the lower class workforce by depicting Sonny as an
unemployed man who must support his mother and the rest of his family. There are also scenes
in the beginning of the film where underprivileged folks are hard at work while a wealthy man
sits by his pool. This demonstrates the vast disparity between the lower-class workforce and the
upper-class merchants, lending credence to the film's title, Dog Day Afternoon. The one thing
that moves me the most about watching this exhilarating film is its humanistic side. Watch how
the kidnapped bank employees find common ground with Sonny. Love and common sense will
ultimately always carry the day when it comes to people. What I don't like is that at the end of
the movie, Sal gets shot in the head while doing nothing. The two criminals didn’t achieve their
goal to get out of the country and runaway. Sonny’s lover, Leon became a woman and lives in
New York. And Sonny’s wife Angie and the children lives together on welfare. Sonny achieved
his will for Leon to become a woman.

Conclusion

This film had an impact on me in a variety of ways. I was rooting for Sonny and Sal at
times because they were good guys who were simply desperate, but I also felt horrible for the
bank employees since they were the real victims. Since this film was so captivating, I was
completely absorbed in it. I was intrigued by the closing sequence because a part of me felt
Sonny and Sal would get away with it, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. And lastly, this
film will also reflect me when I become a police officer in the future.