Hi Scott:

Indeed an incredible scene from an incredible movie, which I saw in its first run in NYC, and noticed something conspicuously absent on all video releases including the latest Warners 2-disc set.

The following scene was in the print I saw in the original release and is taken from a dialogue transcript that I unearthed with the help of the Museum of Modern Art.

REEL 7-AB- "Missing Scene"

Sonny: Here, you want'a hold my will for me?
Okay, we all ready?
Good.
You know somethin', people?
You're gonna be remembered the rest of your--
--lives.......for the day you got held up
and kidnapped.

We made history here.
Let's go.

Stay with me, Sal, stay with me.
Why don't we just,--

--ah, move it here.

We're gonna make a circle and Sal
and me are gonna get in the middle of it.
And that's how we're goin' out.
Sal......


Jenny: You forgot your money.

Sonny: My money!


Edna: It's on the desk.


Sonny: Ah, Mister Mul ---
---vaney, here you go, I can trust you.

Okay.

Wait....I gotta give somebody for the limousine, who goes?


Sylvia: Oh, wait a minute.
Okay, choose!


Miriam: You choose.

Sylvia: Me?
You Edna

Sonny: Edna goes....good.

Make no sudden moves now, okay?
Get in a safety lock, like this.
Stay with 'em, Sal, stay with 'em.



This brief exchange is so important in that Sonny and Sal have formed an incredible bond with their hostages and have momentarily forgotten why they even started the whole caper--an amazing piece of irony that has vanished from the film.

I've contacted Frank Pierson who does remember the scene, but, unfortunately Sidney Lumet doesn't.

Regardless, I tried to alert Warners about this before the new edition of Dog Day was released a few years ago. Let's hope it resurfaces. I think it adds a great touch to an already great film.

That's a great catch. And I think your analysis is spot on re the scene's value: underscoring the connection between robbers and hostages, and, as you say, how ironic that they forget the money, the very thing that precipitated the robbery in the first place.

gdj1231, please email me at scottdistillery@gmail.com. I'm curious to find out more.

And thanks very much for this post. Wonderful bit of cinema history.

Hi Scott!

I found your blog because I'm doing a post Dog Day Afternoon myself, on my blog Song Lyrics N' Lines. I read your bio and really enjoyed the movie Trojan War by the way!