Salvatore Naturile - Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon

Salvatore Naturile's story was used as the basis for the film Dog Day Afternoon. The movie was released in 1975, and starred Al Pacino as Wojtowicz (called "Sonny Wortzik" in the film), and John Cazale, Pacino's co-star in The Godfather, as Naturile.

In 1975, John Wojtowicz wrote a letter to The New York Times expressing concern that people would believe the movie version of the events which he said was only 30% accurate. Among other objections, he stated that the movie intimated that he had "sold out" Naturile to the police, which he claims this to be untrue. Several attempts were made on Wojtowicz's life following an inmate screening of the movie. He would, however, later praise Al Pacino's portrayal of himself, and Chris Sarandon's of his wife Elizabeth Eden, as accurate. In a 2006 interview, the screenwriter of the movie, Frank Pierson, said that he tried to visit Wojtowicz in prison many times to get more details about his story when he wrote the screenplay, but Wojtowicz refused each time to see him because he thought he was not paid enough money for the rights to his story. An 18-year-old actor was originally to be cast in the role of Naturile, but actor John Cazale, who was 39 years old at the time of production, ultimately got the part.

The movie was nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards, including Cazale for Best Supporting Actor, but did not win any.