The Romans referred to the sweltering heat of July and August as the Dog Days, so-named for Canis Major—a constellation whose brightest star, Sirius, appears near the sun in this period. It was the presence of both stars together, the Romans believed, that created the heat. Each year, the Dog Days run from 3 July to 11 August and have become synonymous with the height of summer. It’s no surprise then that Sidney Lumet chose to call his beloved 1975 film starring Al Pacino and John Cazale Dog Day Afternoon. What I didn’t know is that this wild affair was actually based on a true story. In 2022, Daniel Edward Rosen penned a terrific article on the subject aptly titled “The Deacon and the Dog.” Set to the backdrop of a gritty, noir, Brian De Palma-era New York, petty crooks, crimes of passion, showmanship, and tragedy ensue in heart-wrenching, truly bizarre story that affirms something we already know: truth really is stranger than fiction. Before beginning in earnest, I’d like to thank The Manhattan Institute and plug their City Journal, a quarterly magazine whose contributors like Heather Mac Donald and Dan have made for some great episodes.
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XXV: Dog Day Afternoon: A True Story with Daniel Edward Rosen