Sidney Lumet’s ‘Dog Day Afternoon has become something of a cult classic since its release in 1975. Based on the real-life story of a bungled bank robbery and hostage situation that couldn’t have gone worse if they tried.
Starring Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick, and Charles Durning,the movie was both a critical and box office success. and was nominated for six Academy Awards and seven Golden Globe Awards and won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Why it resounds so loudly with us is the fact that first-time crook Sonny Wortzik, had recruited his friends Salvatore “Sal” Naturile and Stevie to stage the hold-up because he needed the money to pay for his boyfriend Leon’s sex reassignment surgery . It may have turned out to be a major act of stupidity when it all went horribly wrong, but we couldn’t be anything less enamored about what a man would do for love.
Al Pacino’s performance was so pitch perfect as Sonny we would happily have given him the Oscar he was nominated for.
Now this week there will be a special gala showing of Dog Day Afternoon as a benefit for the 75th Anniversary of The Actors Studio in NY. It will be followed by a live interview with the film’s star and The Actors Studio co-president Al Pacino.
The Gala event will take place Thursday, October 27 at 7PM, at The United Palace (4140 Broadway at 175th Street, NYC). Tickets, now on sale at TheActorsStudio.org, are $35, $55 and $75. $250 premium seats are available. $1000 VIP tickets include premium seating as well as a backstage meet-and-greet photo opportunity with Al Pacino following the screening.
Beg, steal and borrow to get a ticket just to finally get Pacino’s own take on this exceptional film we can still not stop thinking about it,
Labels: 2022, Al Pacino, Dog Day Afternoon, gala screening, sex realignment studio, The Actors Studio
