In John Cazale's amazing yet brutally short career, he had a reputation for playing characters with a knack for getting in over their heads. In The Godfather series, for example, his resentment at being constantly overlooked within his family led him to make rash decisions that led him down a path he wasn't ready for. And in this film, he stars again with Al Pacino, this time as two bank robbers whose carefully laid plans quickly go awry almost as soon as the crime begins. It's immediately clear that Pacino as Sonny is the leader in this situation, the brains of the operation, and that Cazale's character Sal is pretty much just along for the ride. But although their third accomplice lost his nerve as soon as the robbery begin, Sal sticks with Sonny until the bitter end, with tragic consequences.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
