"I'll take care of you. I'll make you happy" is what the real life Sonny Wojtowicz is actually known for by those he loved. Sure there are contradictory stories about his actions, state-of-mind and erratic behavior but "I'll take care of you. I'll make you happy" was the one agreed constant.
In both "DOG DAY AFTERNOON" & "DALLAS BUYERS CLUB" you see both leading men carry this message-at high cost-throughout both films ( Sonny Wojtowicz played by Al Pacino in DDF, in the best acting immersion of his career and Ron Woodroof played almost as brilliantly by Matthew McConaughey in DBC-who just won the Golden Globes this year for best actor)
After seeing "DALLAS BUYERS CLUB" last week I couldn't remember a film which had me cheer more loudly for the anti-hero turned hero until tonight when I revisited "DOG DAY AFTERNOON".
They both start out acting on purely selfish reasons but one starts rooting for their intentions early on. More importantly they are both based on real life people and events.
YOU HAVE GOT TO RENT "DOG DAY AFTERNOON" AGAIN !!!
WHEN YOU DO, PLEASE GO ONLINE AND READ THE AMAZING TRIVIA RELATED TO THIS REMARKABLE FILM.
(Not the least as seeing a young Harvey Fierstein, appearing (uncredited) as one of the gay demonstrators).
The reason I have to really tip my rainbow hat to "DOG DAY AFTERNOON" is because the film is from 1975 and is candidly addressing issues of homosexuality (without stereotyping Sonny-who is in a traditional marriage with two kids-extremely masculine and extremely vocal about his feelings for his male lover). The issue of transgenders which is discussed and celebrated by Sonny and the post Stonewall gays in New York City, but what pulled at my heart strings was a brief but touching moment when a cop tenderly helps Leon-the transgender-with a much needed drink of water. Additionally, it's the first time I remember a film openly discussing same sex marriage. Did I mention this was 1975?
I cannot thank director Sidney Lumet enough!
He directs fearlessly and armed with brutal reality in every scene. He was also smart for not calling the film "The Boys in the Bank"-which was the magazine article the film was based on; it would have sounded too much, in my opinion, like the campy, gay movie, " The Boys in the Band".
A well deserved Oscar went to writer Frank Pierson; however, Lumet allowed most of the improvisations from ALL the actors, which lends to the natural interactions amongst the characters.
In 2013/2014 we often forget how the mere mention of words like "I love a man"-from a man- in a film was groundbreaking, Those of us-namely me-who are old enough to remember exalt "DOG DAY AFTERNOON" for it's immeasurable bravery.
What "DALLAS BUYERS CLUB" does is reflect & remind us even further about stigmas that the LGBTQ community-along with many heterosexuals-suffered through one of the darkest periods in history; therefore, I loudly applaud it as well.
