Dog Day Afternoon is a 1973 film which tells the story of a man who holds a bank full of employees and customers hostage during a failed bank robbery. The man and his friends intend to rob the bank so the man would have the money to pay for his transsexual girlfriend's sexual reassignment surgery. In real life, the robbery took nine hours; in the film, it took over twelve. The film stars Penelope Allen, Al Pacino, Sully Boyar, John Cazale, Carol Kane, Chris Sarandon and James Broderick.
It was adapted by Frank Pierson from a true news article by P.F. Kluge and Thomas Moore. It was directed by Sidney Lumet. The film is shot in a naturalist style and has no musical score. Contrary to popular belief, the film was not shot on location; rather, the film crew rented a warehouse and constructed a bank inside it, allowing the versatility of a studio setting with its "wild walls" as well as the genuine surrounding buildings necessary later in the film.
Dog Day Afternoon won the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Al Pacino), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Chris Sarandon), Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Picture.
