Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

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“I don’t wanna talk to some flunky pig trying to calm me, man.”

Synopsis:
A married New Yorker (Al Pacino) hoping to pay for a sex-change operation for his male lover (Chris Sarandon) collaborates with a trigger-happy partner (John Cazale) to rob a bank; but when things go horribly wrong, they end up holding the entire staff hostage while a negotiating police captain (Charles Durning) manages increasingly circus-like crowds outside the bank.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Al Pacino Films
  • Carol Kane Films
  • Heists
  • Hostages
  • Media Spectacle
  • Sidney Lumet Films
  • Underdogs

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “black comedy based on a real-life incident” is “a big favorite of many fans and critics”, but he thinks “it smacks of ‘Wouldn’t this true story make a great movie!’ attitude” and that it “all rings false”. He further adds that “every unbearable moment when we laugh because the situation is so pathetic, every introduction of another offbeat character, every character expression seems calculated to elicit an audience response”, and he argues that Lumet’s “direction of the extras who make up the crowds outside the bank is surprisingly lame”, given that they “are obviously acting for our benefit”. While a couple of Peary’s points have merit (the crowds seem staged, and some of the “offbeat characters” are cliched), I happen to enjoy this flick a lot more than he does: the “based on real events” storyline is so consistently unpredictable and wacky that we can’t help getting caught up during the two-hours-plus running time, despite knowing that things won’t end well for the luckless would-be robbers.

Strong performances by Pacino, Cazale, Durning, and others ground the film, presenting us with a slate of real people deeply invested in a hideously gone-bad situation; they’re all simply trying to climb their way out intact and preserve lives. Pacino’s character is so genuinely on-edge that he cares more about pragmatics than his newfound fame, and remains refreshingly unfazed by having his sexuality publicly “outed” (though Cazale is predictably agitated by being mistakenly labeled on the news as one of two “homosexuals”). Sully Boyar and Penny Allen are excellent as protective bank employees watching out for their colleagues, and Sarandon’s Oscar-nominated supporting performance as the transgendered lover behind Pacino’s actions is memorable. Watch for a particularly ironic moment early on, as an African-American bank guard is unexpectedly released first and unleashes a flurry of movement to arrest him; some things haven’t changed.

Note: Fans of this flick will likely enjoy Spike Lee’s Inside Man (2006), also about a heist-gone-wrong.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Al Pacino as Sonny
  • Chris Sarandon as Leon
  • Sully Boyar as Mulvaney
  • Charles Durning as Moretti
  • John Cazale as Sal
  • Penny Allen as the no-nonsense head bank teller
  • Excellent use of authentic NY locales


Must See?
Yes, primarily for Pacino’s performance.

Categories

  • Noteworthy Performance(s)
  • Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

Stalag 17 (1953)

Stalag 17 (1953)

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“There are two people in this barracks who know I didn’t do it: me and the guy that did do it.”

Synopsis:
After two men attempting escape die in a German prisoner-of-war camp, a cynical wheeler-dealer (William Holden) is falsely accused of being an informant to the barrack’s Kommandant (Otto Preminger). Someone is sending secret messages to their presiding guard (Sig Rumann) — but who could it be?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Billy Wilder Films
  • Falsely Accused
  • Neville Brand Films
  • Otto Preminger Films
  • Mistaken or Hidden Identities
  • Play Adaptation
  • Prisoners of War
  • Spies
  • William Holden Films
  • World War Two

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this wartime spy flick — directed by Billy Wilder, and based on a Broadway play by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski — “stumbles along at the beginning, as we try to adjust to the rowdy comedy that plays a major part in the film” (he asserts that “these men need laughter in their lives”), but argues that “it really gets exciting once we viewers are let in on the spy’s identity”, at which point we “can’t wait till Holden traps the culprit”. I essentially agree with Peary’s assessment, though I feel more strongly that the “rowdy comedy” detracts from an otherwise powerful drama — I’ve learned that the presence of character actor Harvey Lembeck automatically makes me think of awful Beach Party flicks and brings to mind terms like “annoying” and “obnoxious”. Regardless, Holden’s performance is excellent, and the spy storyline is quite compelling: despite guessing the spy’s identity fairly early on, this didn’t detract from my enjoyment, instead allowing for a creepy “close-read” of a man so easily able to fool so many people under such high stakes. The moral of the story is: beware of false accusations and crowd mentality.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • William Holden as Sefton
  • Creative direction

Must See?
Yes, once, for Holden’s Oscar-winning performance.

Categories

  • Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

Fly, The (1958)

Fly, The (1958)

Comments 2 comments

“Although I killed my husband, I am not a murderess — I simply carried out his last wish.”

Synopsis:
After confessing to crushing her husband in a mechanical press, a distraught woman (Patricia Owens) tells her sympathetic brother-in-law (Vincent Price) and an inquiring detective (Herbert Marshall) the bizarre story of how her scientist-husband (David Hedison) ended up as part-human, part-fly.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Flashback Films
  • Herbert Marshall Films
  • Horror
  • Insects
  • Mad Doctors and Scientists
  • Mutant Monsters
  • Science Fiction
  • Strong Females
  • Vincent Price Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “most enjoyable science fiction film” — based on a “tongue firmly in cheek” script by James Clavell — is “mostly amusing” despite also possessing “one of the greatest moments in horror movies” as “Owens pulls off her husband’s hood and sees his fly head”. He points out that this “scientist-treading-where-man-shouldn’t tread movie” is uniquely “feminist” in that “the emphasis is placed on the wife as she endures tragedy and tries everything in her power to save her [foolhardy] husband”, and in the process “becomes extremely capable”. Price’s role is sympathetic but rather small; this is Owens’ show all the way, and she more than carries it. The movie gets off to a somewhat slow start, with a flashback to the main events of the storyline not occurring for about half-an-hour — but once we’re in, we’re in, both for laughs and shocks; the final few moments are especially intense. The costumes and special effects are quite effective, and the cinematography is nicely done. After viewing this film, you will likely never look at a common housefly (or a spider web) in the same way again.

Note: David Cronenberg remade this film in 1986 with Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum; it’s listed as an additional “must-see” title in the back of Peary’s book.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Patricia Owens as Helene
  • Fine Cinemascope cinematography
  • Creepy costumes and special effects

Must See?
Yes, as an enjoyable classic of the genre.

Categories

  • Good Show

Links:

D.I., The (1957)

D.I., The (1957)

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“Anything’s better than this.”

Synopsis:
A hard-hitting Marine drill instructor (Jack Webb) falls for a sexy local (Jackie Loughery) while refusing to give up on a seemingly hopeless recruit (Don Dubbins).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Jack Webb Films
  • Military
  • Ruthless Leaders

Review:
Jack Webb is so inextricably linked to his iconic role as Joe Friday on “Dragnet” that it’s somewhat surprising to find he was actually a busy auteur, producing and directing a handful of films and T.V. shows from the 1950s-1970s. This pre-cursor to Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket (1987) begins with a literal bang, as Marine recruits knock on the door of a hard-nosed (what else?) Drill Instructor whose job is to use any means necessary to toughen these men for combat. Webb consistently utilizes creative, stylized framing and cinematography to heighten dramatic tension and highlight power differentials; the film is never boring to look at, even when the screenplay goes soppy during obligatory romantic interludes meant to show us Webb’s “softer side”. While profanity is noticeably absent, many IMDb users have noted how refreshingly authentic this film still comes across today, and others have stated that this film was responsible for their eventual application to the Marines (!). Interestingly, part of the U.S. Marine Corps’ willingness to cooperate so readily in the making of this movie was in response to a tragic occurrence in 1955 known as the “Ribbon Creek” incident — and recent news of the death of a new recruit at Parris Island further reminds us about the intensity of such infamously brutal training.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Jack Webb as Sergeant Moore
  • Creative direction




  • Fine cinematography

  • Good use of realistic locales (albeit at Camp Pendleton and on sets rather than Parris Island) and actual Marines in key roles
  • A hard-hitting script:

    “There’s a man hidden somewhere under that baby powder.”
    “Tell me Castro, did your mother ever have any children that lived?”
    “What was it you just said, you miserable clown?”

Must See?
Yes, as a unique cult favorite.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links:

Men, The (1950)

Men, The (1950)

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“You try and you try, and you’re still behind the eight ball.”

Synopsis:
A paraplegic vet (Marlon Brando) struggling to adjust to life without the use of his legs finds solidarity with his disabled friends (Jack Webb, Richard Erdman, and Arthur Jurado), but is unsure whether to marry his long-time girlfriend (Teresa Wright).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Disabilities
  • Fred Zinneman Films
  • Jack Webb Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Marlon Brando Films
  • Teresa Wright Films
  • Veterans

Review:
Marlon Brando made an auspicious cinematic debut in this hard-hitting social drama about paraplegic veterans struggling to re-enter mainstream society at a time when mortality rates were much higher, and public sympathy was much lower. Naturally, Brando — fresh from Broadway success as Stanley Kowalski — brought plenty of Method intensity to his preparation for the role (including living for a month in a hospital ward with vets); nothing about his performance here is sugar-coated.

Wright’s overly earnest, non-“Method” portrayal role feels somewhat jarring in contrast, though she nicely conveys the tensions inherent in such a life-altering choice.

Meanwhile, Carl Foreman’s Oscar-nominated script is refreshingly authentic, touching on a variety of uncomfortable topics (including the sudden, unexpected death of a well-liked vet, and the very real possibility of infertility), and making it clear that life for these brave soldiers has been brutally transformed.

While other films — i.e., Coming Home (1978), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), and Murderball (2005) — have since covered similar territory in both narrative and documentary form, The Men remains worth a one-time look for its historical relevance and for Brando’s performance. Watch for Everett Sloane as the men’s no-nonsense doctor, and Jack Webb in a supporting role as a cynical bearded vet.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Marlon Brando as Ken
  • Carl Foreman’s Oscar-nominated script
  • Robert De Grasse’s cinematography

Must See?
No, but it’s certainly worth a one-time look. Listed as a film with Historical Importance.

Links:

Dragnet (1954)

Dragnet (1954)

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“Why does the law always work for the guilty?”

Synopsis:
Sergeant Joe Friday (Jack Webb), Officer Frank Smith (Ben Alexander), and undercover Officer Grace Downey (Ann Robinson) of the LAPD investigate the brutal murder of a bookie (Dub Taylor), committed by a known criminal (Stacy Harris) who others in his syndicate are trying to protect.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Jack Webb Films
  • Police

Review:
The primary reason to check out this earnest police procedural — notable as the first feature film to be based on a television series — is to get a sense of what the enormously popular show (produced, directed by, and starring Jack Webb) is all about. Unfortunately, while competently filmed, Dragnet hasn’t held up well as entertainment: it’s overly didactic, relies far too heavily on fast-paced dialogue (its original roots as a radio series are evident), and will seem simplistic to modern audiences who already have an insider’s view of police investigations from numerous other shows and movies. Since this is essentially a colorized, extended version of the T.V. show — interspersed with occasionally creative but mostly awkward scenes meant for 3-D that never materialized — I recommend checking out an episode of the show first (on YouTube) to see if this is your cup of tea.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Some creative direction

Must See?
No, unless you’re a “Dragnet” fan. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Serpico (1973)

Serpico (1973)

Comments 2 comments

“Who can trust a cop who don’t take money?”

Synopsis:
An idealistic young cop (Al Pacino) hoping to work as a plains-clothes detective is dismayed to find both rampant police corruption and a culture of intolerance for those who don’t participate.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Al Pacino Films
  • Biopics
  • Corruption
  • New York City
  • Police

Review:
Is there such a thing as an honest cop? After watching this adaptation of Peter Maas’s biography about NYPD officer Frank Serpico — whose refusal to accept pay-offs and attempts to expose endemic corruption nearly led to his death — you’ll scarcely believe it’s possible. The film is book-ended by Serpico’s career-ending facial shooting, so we know that what we’ll see for the next two hours will be nothing but a living nightmare for our would-be whistleblower — but watching his train wreck as it unfolds is morbidly fascinating, especially as Pacino shifts in and out of various undercover get-ups.

Director Sidney Lumet and DP Arthur Ornitz make impressive use of seemingly countless (actually 104) New York locales — and while Mikis Theodorakis’s invasive, maudlin score mars many scenes, the film is still worth a one-time look.

Note: Check out this 2010 New York Times docu-short in which the real Frank Serpico comments on the film, and we’re updated about his current life.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Al Pacino as Frank Serpico
  • Arthur Ornitz’s cinematography
  • Excellent use of authentic New York locales


Must See?
Yes, as a finely crafted if disheartening character study and exposé.

Categories

  • Good Show

Links:

St. Martin’s Lane / Sidewalks of London (1938)

St. Martin’s Lane / Sidewalks of London (1938)

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“There ain’t no justice and there ain’t no logic; the world ain’t made that way.”

Synopsis:
A pickpocket waif (Vivien Leigh) on the streets of London befriends a sympathetic busker (Charles Laughton) who takes pity on her and realizes she has dancing talent. After working as a team for awhile, Leigh is solicited by a wealthy man (Rex Harrison) who helps turn her into a star of the stage — but will her loyalty to Laughton shift for good?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Aspiring Stars
  • Charles Laughton Films
  • Class Relations
  • Friendship
  • Rex Harrison Films
  • Vivien Leigh Films

Review:
Made the year before Vivien Leigh’s breakthrough role as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind (1939), this sentimental tale about an unexpected friendship-of-convenience is primarily notable for Laughton’s nuanced performance as a quirky, practical, all-too-human fellow who “does the right thing” without thinking twice.

Leigh’s character, on the other hand, is intentionally hard to sympathize with — though she redeems herself nicely by the end and is certainly no villain.

Refreshingly, Laughton’s romantic interest in Leigh only occurs after they’ve lived (platonically) and worked together for awhile; until then, he maintains appropriately paternal/brotherly affection for her. Fine period detail and stark cinematography make this tale visually appealing, but it’s only must-see for fans of Leigh or Laughton, or those interested in pre-WWII busking culture.

Note: The storyline has strong parallels with A Star is Born (1937), given Laughton’s “fall from [relative] grace” while Leigh’s star is rising.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Charles Laughton as Charlie (nominated as one of the Best Actors of the Year in Peary’s Alternate Oscars)
  • Fine period detail

  • Jules Kruger’s cinematography

Must See?
No; this one is only must-see for Laughton or Leigh completists.

Links:

Man of Aran (1934)

Man of Aran (1934)

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“It is a fight from which he will have no respite until the end of his indomitable days, or until he meets his master — the sea.”

Synopsis:
A fisherman (Colman ‘Tiger’ King), his wife (Maggie Dirrane), and their son (Michael Dirrane) work hard to survive on the beautiful but harsh terrain of the rocky Aran Islands.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Documentary
  • Robert Flaherty Films
  • Survival

Review:
Renowned American documentarian Robert Flaherty is best known for his groundbreaking silent feature Nanook of the North (1922) — a pseudo-documentary which began a series of films based on the theme of “man against nature”, followed by Moana (1926) and this title. As in Nanook… and Moana, Flaherty deliberately crafts a story meant to represent an archetypal “survival culture”, utilizing “realistic drama” rather than strict ethnography: once again, he casts various striking-looking villagers as Father, Mother, and Child:

… and a pivotal scene — when a group of fishermen spend two days capturing a shark — was staged after teaching the participants how to carry out this survival skill of their recent ancestors. With all that said, Man of Aran remains an undeniably striking film, and accomplishes its goal of demonstrating how challenging it can be for humans to exist in less-than-convenient geographic locations.


While not must-see, film fanatics will likely be curious to check this title out at least once — and if you do, be sure to follow up immediately by watching the essential 1976 documentary How the Myth Was Made (included on the DVD), in which a filmmaker tracked down the original actors and crew and learned how the film impacted the tiny island community (primarily in terms of tourism, it turns out).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Consistently impressive imagery and cinematography

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look for its historical interest. Listed as a film with Historical Importance and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Stepfather, The (1987)

Stepfather, The (1987)

Comments 1 comment

“All we need is a little order around here.”

Synopsis:
After brutally murdering his wife and daughter, a sociopathic killer (Terry O’Quinn) moves to another town, where he assumes a new identity and marries a widow (Shelley Hack) with a troubled teenage daughter (Jill Schoelen). Will Hack and Schoelen be O’Quinn’s next victims — or will his ex-wife’s brother (Stephen Shellen) locate him in time to stop him from killing again?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Mistaken or Hidden Identities
  • Horror
  • Serial Killers

Review:
Based on a screenplay and story by prolific crime-writer Donald Westlake, The Stepfather plays on the worst fears of every child living in a blended family: what if the new “parent” living in your house turned out to be a sociopathic killer? O’Quinn delivers a memorably creepy performance as a would-be-Ward-Cleaver desperate for a picture-perfect family while perpetually on the edge of pathological insanity (those knives… those tools…).

John Lindley’s cinematography perfectly captures the dichotomy between O’Quinn’s desired pastel Americana (complete with a home-made bird house, Thanksgiving turkey, and block party):

and the darker recesses of his sick psyche; meanwhile, director Joseph Ruben handles the entire narrative with tension and expert pacing, producing some genuinely freaky scenes. While not quite a gem like its Hitchcockian inspirations, this horror-thriller deserves its status as an ’80s cult flick, and is worth a revisit every now and then.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Terry O’Quinn as Jerry (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actors of the Year in his Alternate Oscars)
  • Jill Schoelen as Stephanie
  • Atmospheric cinematography


  • Many effectively chilling sequences

Must See?
Yes, as an enjoyable cult favorite.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links: