MISE-EN-SCENE IN SIDNEY LUMET'S DOG DAY AFTERNOON

Khaleesa Alexander

The film Dog Day Afternoon starring actor Al Pacino is a film that centers around the character Sonny and his friend Sal as they attempt to rob a bank. Though the film initially seems like a story centered around the action of a robbery, it soon becomes apparent that the dynamics of Sonny with the other characters in the story are the primary focus of the film. Sonny’s character is complex in the sense that he is not the typical protagonist of a heist film. The audience is therefore taken on the journey of trying to understand Sonny’s intentions and motivations and we become far more invested in the development of his character rather than the outcome of the robbery. Director Sidney Lumet and the entire team behind the film construct and develop Sonny’s character arc in several ways, but a large aspect of Sonny’s development that is represented in the physical realm of the film’s production can be seen in the costumes, the lighting, and the actors’ depictions of internal conflict and stakes. All of these elements are a part of the film's " mise-en-scene " and impact how the audience digests and interprets Sonny’s choices. 

Sonny’s character arc is distinct in how the development is restricted and slowly developed through the story’s shifts and revelations. Al Pacino embodies and externalizes Sonny’s inner conflict with vulnerability, the pressures of society, and coming to terms with who he wants to be and who he is in the immediate moment. The film reveals more and more about Sonny’s life concerning his marital partners and his socioeconomic status as the story progresses and it is representative of the walls Sonny has up as he is a mystery to those around him. Sonny’s character bears secrets and truths that are not immediate to those in his life and it takes an entire operation from the police and the FBI for these aspects of Sonny’s life to be uncovered and revealed. Sonny’s character is closed off at the start of the film and is heavily dependent on Sonny initially having control of his the robbery and the way he is perceived. Once the robbery is no longer working in Sonny’s favor, he loses control—not just of the robbery, but how he is perceived by the bank workers and the world around him. Not only does Sonny lose control of the heist, but he also loses control of the narrative that he wants to create with the public, the bank tellers, and Sal. 

There are several examples of mise-en-scene that help to convey this loss of control and the vulnerability of Sonny, and one of the main ones that can be highlighted is the use of wardrobe for Sonny’s character. For example, Sonny’s shirt and the way it is initially buttoned up but slowly unbottons as the story progresses is a physical symbol of Sonny’s loss of control and his inability to contain the situation. While in an objective sense Sonny’s shirt is opened as the bank’s temperature increases, there is something to note about the parallels of an image of constriction and closure that progressively opens up. Moreover, even the bank’s temperature that increases is an outcome that comes as a direct result of Sonny not having control over the bank’s conditions. In the frame DDA.10A, Sonny’s shirt can be seen entirely buttoned up except for the the first two buttons of the shirt and the buttons of his sleeves. This contrasts with the frame DDA.2 at the very start of the film where Sonny is pictured with his shirt completely buttoned and his jacket on. Sonny is physical held together by the bounds of his clothing, and as Sonny unravels, his attire does as well. The frame DDA.10A captures the moment when Sonny leaves the bank to speak to Officer Moretti. At this point, Sonny still feels like he has some leverage and control over the situation, but it is the presence of the police in the first place that speaks to the reality that the robbery is not going as originally planned. 

The Frame DDA.7B is another great example of the costumes parallel with Sonny’s story as this is the moment the boundaries and roles of Sonny and the bank tellers are blurred. In this frame, Sonny is on the phone with a television show host as he argues in defense of himself and he explains his justification of the robbery. In this shot, Sonny’s sleeves are now rolled up and within this frame his is centered and inbetween Mr. Mulvaney, the bank tellers, and Sal. Not only is Sonny’s attire physically more open, but his relationship with the people in the bank has also shifted as he stands among them instead of them remaining in the vault as they all share a somewhat upbeat moment about being featured on television. The shift in Sonny’s relationship with the bank tellers and Mr. Mulvaney is conveyed and communicated through the blocking and framing of this shot. In this frame, the elements of costume, framing, and blocking that are building the mise-en-scene are all working to move the story forward and communicate Sonny’s role shifting from the ringleader of the robbery to someone who also is at the will of someone else. Similar to the bank workers who are at the hands of Sonny’s decisions, Sonny is having to operate under the restrictions and regulations of the police, the media, and his socioeconomic status as he can no longer protect himself and Sal without the cooperation of the bankers. The characters, whether they are aware of it or not, are all holding power over the other—even if Sonny and Sal are technically holding them hostage, the world around Sonny and Sal have them backed into a corner as well as they must choose between going back to prison or committing to their robbery until the very end. The only way that Sal and Sonny can achieve this is with the trust and cooperation of the bankers.

Towards the end of the film, the relationship between Sonny, Sal, and the bankers subvert expectation and the integrity of Sonny’s power completely deteriorates as Sonny realizes that he may die by the end of the night. In the frame DDA.14, Sonny drafts his will with Mr. Mulvaney and Sylvia. The key elements of mise-en-scene in this frame that stand out is the lighting, the blocking, and the costumes. As formally mentioned, Sonny’s shirt plays a key part in depicting the internal life of Sonny’s character. In this frame, Sonny’s shirt is now completely opened and unbuttoned. In addition to the wardrobe of Sonny, Mulvaney and Sylvia are also featured wearing their formal attire, however unlike Sonny, both Mulvaney and Syliva’s physical appearance is far more composed and less disheveled. The blocking in this frame also works to communicate this contrast, as Sonny is placed in the back of the frame while Slyvia and Mulvaney are placed in the forefront. In this scene, Mulvaney and Sylvia are helping Sonny and he is the one in need of their assistance to ensure that his assets and belongings are distributed on his terms. The characters are holding the power as Sonny needs Slyvia and Mulvaney in this moment to regain control of his life. Moreover, the lighting in this scene is dark with only half of Sonny’s face lit by the practical lights in the space. The lighting is representative of Sonny’s struggle and the ways he has become split between the two realities of his family life and his marriage to Leon. In his will, Sonny specifically delegates his assets to Leon, his wife, and his children and the audience gains even more insight into Sonny’s life as he contemplates his hypothetical death. His emotional life is both morbid and light as he is attempting to find closure for himself after he has exhausted his options and this is actualized in the lighting of Sonny’s face and the other characters. 

In the culmination of Dog Day Afternoon, director Sidney Lumet masterfully weaves a narrative that transcends the conventional boundaries of a heist film. Al Pacino's portrayal of Sonny unveils a complex character whose evolution becomes the focal point of the story. As the film progresses, Sonny's enigmatic nature is gradually laid bare, revealing a man grappling with vulnerability, societal pressures, and the struggle to reconcile his identity. Lumet employs the powerful elements of mise-en-scene—costumes, lighting, and character dynamics—to accentuate Sonny's journey. The symbolism embedded in Sonny's clothing, from the meticulously buttoned shirt to its gradual disarray, mirrors his loss of control over the heist and the narrative he seeks to construct. The framing of key scenes visually captures the shifting power dynamics between Sonny and the bank tellers. The mise-en-scene of Dog Day Afternoon actualizes Sonny's relationship with those around him as he transforms from the orchestrator of the robbery to someone subject to external forces. The meticulous attention to detail in the mise-en-scene underscores the theme of power and control, emphasizing how the characters, even in hostage situations, hold influence over each other. As the film reaches its poignant climax, the mise-en-scene elements reach a crescendo, with Sonny's opened shirt, contrasting lighting, and strategic blocking accentuating his vulnerability and the complex emotions surrounding his impending demise. Lumet’s choices and the creative team behind these elements work to develop the film, which in turn, help the film transcend the expectations of its genre. It is the construction and refinement of the mise-en-scene that elevate the story’s overall exploration of human complexity, power dynamics, and the fragility of control in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

Works Cited 

Warner/AEC. (1975b). Dog day afternoon. 

Frames Mentioned: DDA.10A, DDA.2, DDA.7B, and DDA.14