John Wojtowicz/Al Pacino

I just came back from watching "the Dog" the documentary based on the life of the real-life banker robber, John Wojtowicz, who inspired the movie, "Dog Day Afternoon."

I have to say that the casting was phenomenal! Looking at the old film footage contained within the documentary, Wojtowicz, who was 27 years old back in 1972 when he robbed the bank, was a dead ringer for the young Al Pacino. Same small frame, same shock of dark hair, and same Southern Italian good looks. Chris Sarandon as Ernie was similarly well-casted as Sonny's transsexual wife. There was plenty of film footage of Ernest Aron/Elizabeth Eden and Chris Sarandon ate the role! Not only did he physically resemble the pre-operative transsexual, he was, also, dressed exactly like her when they took her out of the hospital to meet Wojtowicz at the bank.

It's amazing the Sidney Lumet was able to do so much with what was essentially a 12 hour incident. The documentary shows photographs out of the Life Magazine article when Wotjowicz is negotiating with cops outside the bank, and Al Pacino even stands like Wojtowicz and points at the police just like Wojtowicz!

John Wojtowicz was a blast from the past. A real Brooklynite with a Noo Yawk accent [something that is disappearing]. Al Pacino got that right too!

I really felt sorry for Wojtowicz. This documentary showed the real Wojtowicz and again, he was like the Sonny character, quirky, a screwball, but not a bad guy, not a murderer or sociopath, just a man who did something outlandish and clearly condemnable, but circumstances that were pressing on him from all sides drove him to do it.