Top 100 Movies Of All-Time: #99

99. DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975, SYDNEY LUMET)

Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Chris Sarandon

Like I said in the previous entry in this series, I'm kind of making this thing up as I go along. The "official" list that I am basing these rankings on tells me that I apparently like Dog Day Afternoon enough to put it at number 99 on the list. So, that's what I'm doing.

In all truthfulness though, it's pretty much a cop out for me to do so. Let me explain.

The first, and only time, I ever watched this movie, was back in high school with a bunch of my friends at Jon's house. I recall sitting in his mom's room (which had more space) and sitting enjoying immensely the undeniably fantastic performance of Pacino throughout this film which I can at least recall being so very, very good. The reason that it is a cop-out for me to place this movie on this list though, is that today, I don't recall all that much, other than the fact that I absolutely adored the film after that first screening.

I simply am putting Lumet's work on the list at 99 because I retained the fact that I loved it as opposed to why I might have done so.

Oh well, I say. It's my list, and I'll cry if I want to!!...or something to that effect.

Anyway, the little that I do recall about the movie allows me to, at least on some level, back up it's entry on the list. The single scene in the film that stuck with me through the years is Sonny's (Pacino) dictating his will. That heartbreaking sequence where the desperate bank-robber finally realizes what is at stake and that there's going to be a chance now that nothing will work out for him, is one of the single greatest examples of acting...well, ever. 

The pain, and the suffering and the embarrassment and all of the dueling emotions that Pacino throws out at his audience makes the scene almost to painful to watch. We are identifying with a man that we shouldn't really have any pathos for. He's simply at the end of his line. It's an incredibly powerful part of the film, and some of the most effective filmmaking you will ever see. 

It is just a shame that Pacino had to go up against Nicholson and Cuckoo's Nest that year. Damn shame. 

Oh and of course the whole relationship between Sarandon's transexual wannabe and Sonny is groundbreaking for American cinema. And of course "Attica! ATTICA!". 

Jeez, I have to watch this movie again soon.