Dog Day Afternoon

Updated: 12/11/2025, 6:07:40 PM Wikipedia source

Dog Day Afternoon is a 1975 American biographical crime drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand. The film stars Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick and Charles Durning. The screenplay is written by Frank Pierson and is based on the Life magazine article "The Boys in the Bank" by P. F. Kluge and Thomas Moore. The feature chronicles the 1972 robbery and hostage situation led by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile at a Chase Manhattan branch in Brooklyn. Elfand brought the article to Bregman's attention, who proceeded to negotiate a deal with Warner Bros. and clear the rights to use the story. Pierson conducted his research and wrote a script that centered on the story of the robbery around Wojtowicz. The cast was selected by Lumet and Pacino, with the latter selecting past co-stars from his off-Broadway plays. Filming took place between September and November 1974, and the production was finished three weeks ahead of schedule. When theatrically released on September 21, 1975, Dog Day Afternoon was a critical and box-office success. The film was nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards, six BAFTAs (winning Best Actor for Pacino and Best Editing), and six Academy Awards (winning Best Original Screenplay). In 2009, Dog Day Afternoon was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress, and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Infobox

Directed by

Sidney Lumet

Screenplay by

Frank Pierson

Story by

Thomas Moore

Based on

"The Boys in the Bank"1972 Life articleby P. F. KlugeThomas Moore

Produced by

Martin Bregman Martin Elfand

Starring

Al Pacino John Cazale James Broderick Charles Durning

Cinematography

Victor J. Kemper

Edited by

Dede Allen

Productioncompany

Artists Entertainment Complex

Distributed by

Warner Bros.

Release dates

September 20, 1975 (1975-09-20) (San Sebastián) September 21, 1975 (1975-09-21) (United States)

Running time

125 minutes

Country

United States

Language

English

Budget

$3.5–$3.8 million

Box office

$50–56 million

Tables

· Release and reception › Accolades

Academy Awards

Award

Academy Awards

Category

Best Picture

Nominee(s)

Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand

Result

Nominated

Best Director

Award

Best Director

Category

Sidney Lumet

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Actor

Award

Best Actor

Category

Al Pacino

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Supporting Actor

Award

Best Supporting Actor

Category

Chris Sarandon

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Original Screenplay

Award

Best Original Screenplay

Category

Frank Pierson

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Film Editing

Award

Best Film Editing

Category

Dede Allen

Nominee(s)

Nominated

British Academy Film Awards

Award

British Academy Film Awards

Category

Best Film

Nominee(s)

Sidney Lumet

Result

Nominated

Best Direction

Award

Best Direction

Category

Nominated

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Award

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Category

Al Pacino (also for The Godfather Part II)

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Screenplay

Award

Best Screenplay

Category

Frank Pierson

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Editing

Award

Best Editing

Category

Dede Allen

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Sound

Award

Best Sound

Category

Jack Fitzstephens, Richard Cirincione, Sandy Packow,Stephen A. Rotter, James Sabat and Dick Vorisek

Nominee(s)

Nominated

David di Donatello Awards

Award

David di Donatello Awards

Category

David Special Award

Nominee(s)

Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand

Result

Won

Directors Guild of America Awards

Award

Directors Guild of America Awards

Category

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures

Nominee(s)

Sidney Lumet

Result

Nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Award

Golden Globe Awards

Category

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Award

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Category

Al Pacino

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

Award

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

Category

John Cazale

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Charles Durning

Award

Charles Durning

Category

Nominated

Best Director – Motion Picture

Award

Best Director – Motion Picture

Category

Sidney Lumet

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Award

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Category

Frank Pierson

Nominee(s)

Nominated

New Star of the Year – Actor

Award

New Star of the Year – Actor

Category

Chris Sarandon

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards

Award

Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards

Category

Best Actor

Nominee(s)

Al Pacino

Result

Won

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

Award

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

Category

Best Film

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Director

Award

Best Director

Category

Sidney Lumet

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Actor

Award

Best Actor

Category

Al Pacino

Nominee(s)

Won

National Board of Review Awards

Award

National Board of Review Awards

Category

Top Ten Films

Nominee(s)

5th Place

Best Supporting Actor

Award

Best Supporting Actor

Category

Charles Durning

Nominee(s)

Won

National Film Preservation Board

Award

National Film Preservation Board

Category

National Film Registry

Nominee(s)

Inducted

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

Award

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

Category

Best Actor

Nominee(s)

Al Pacino

Result

Runner-up

Best Supporting Actor

Award

Best Supporting Actor

Category

Chris Sarandon

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Online Film & Television Association Awards

Award

Online Film & Television Association Awards

Category

Hall of Fame – Motion Picture

Nominee(s)

Won

San Sebastián International Film Festival

Award

San Sebastián International Film Festival

Category

Golden Shell

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Actor

Award

Best Actor

Category

Al Pacino

Nominee(s)

Won

Writers Guild of America Awards

Award

Writers Guild of America Awards

Category

Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen

Nominee(s)

Frank Pierson

Result

Won

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Academy Awards	Best Picture	Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand	Nominated
	Best Director	Sidney Lumet	Nominated
	Best Actor	Al Pacino	Nominated
	Best Supporting Actor	Chris Sarandon	Nominated
	Best Original Screenplay	Frank Pierson	Won
	Best Film Editing	Dede Allen	Nominated
British Academy Film Awards	Best Film	Sidney Lumet	Nominated
	Best Direction	Sidney Lumet	Nominated
	Best Actor in a Leading Role	Al Pacino (also for The Godfather Part II)	Won
	Best Screenplay	Frank Pierson	Nominated
	Best Editing	Dede Allen	Won
	Best Sound	Jack Fitzstephens, Richard Cirincione, Sandy Packow,Stephen A. Rotter, James Sabat and Dick Vorisek	Nominated
David di Donatello Awards	David Special Award	Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand	Won
Directors Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures	Sidney Lumet	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	Best Motion Picture – Drama		Nominated
	Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama	Al Pacino	Nominated
	Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture	John Cazale	Nominated
	Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture	Charles Durning	Nominated
	Best Director – Motion Picture	Sidney Lumet	Nominated
	Best Screenplay – Motion Picture	Frank Pierson	Nominated
	New Star of the Year – Actor	Chris Sarandon	Nominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Actor	Al Pacino	Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards	Best Film		Won
	Best Director	Sidney Lumet	Won
	Best Actor	Al Pacino	Won
National Board of Review Awards	Top Ten Films		5th Place
National Board of Review Awards	Best Supporting Actor	Charles Durning	Won
National Film Preservation Board	National Film Registry		Inducted
New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Actor	Al Pacino	Runner-up
New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Supporting Actor	Chris Sarandon	Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Awards	Hall of Fame – Motion Picture		Won
San Sebastián International Film Festival	Golden Shell		Nominated
San Sebastián International Film Festival	Best Actor	Al Pacino	Won
Writers Guild of America Awards	Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen	Frank Pierson	Won

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Dog Day Afternoon
https://www.metacritic.com/movie/dog-day-afternoon
Dog Day Afternoon
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dog_day_afternoon
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Playbill
https://playbill.com/article/stephen-adly-guirgis-dog-day-afternoon-play-sets-broadway-debut
Masseron, Meg Stephen Adly Guirgis' Dog Day Afternoon Finds a Broadway Home October 1, 2025, Playbill
https://playbill.com/article/stephen-adly-guirgiss-dog-day-afternoon-finds-a-broadway-home
Tied with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.