Top 250 Challenge: 129

Dog Day Afternoon
Number 168 on IMDb's Top 250

Nominated by Kim

The robbery should have taken 10 minutes. 4 hours later, the bank was like a circus sideshow. 8 hours later, hilarity ensued and it was the hottest thing on live T.V. 12 hours later, it was all history. And it's all true.

Trivia: Based on the real-life story of John Wojtowicz, who attempted to rob a Chase Manhattan bank branch in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York on 22 August 1972. He and Salvatore Naturale held nine bank employees hostage for over 14 hours. Wojtowicz was trying to get money for his lover, Ernest Aron, to have a sex change operation. Naturale was killed in the standoff and Wojtowicz received 20 years in a federal penitentiary. Wojtowicz was paid $7,500 plus one percent of the net movie profits for the movie rights for his story. He gave $2,500 to Aron to have the operation. Aron had the surgery and changed her name to Liz Eden. She died of AIDS in 1987. Wojtowicz was released from prison after serving seven years.

Wow, it's pretty amazing when the trivia section is longer then the plot section, but those forty two words really sum up this movie. Kim was right, this is Pachino at his best. By the way, I watched this today in honor of Kim's birthday. Whoo Hoo, you go girl! okay, back to the summary, this movie was one of only five movies that John Cazale was in before he died of cancer. All five were nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, three won (The Godfather, The Godfather 2, The Deer Hunter, the other one he was in that didn't win was The Conversation). Thanks Kim, and Happy Birthday!