{"product_id":"born-to-lose-the-misfits-who-made-dog-day-afternoon-9781915316509","title":"Born to Lose: The Misfits Who Made Dog Day Afternoon","description":"August 22, 1972: Two men attempt to rob a bank in Brooklyn. They fail miserably: the money they'd hoped for isn't there, the cops get tipped off immediately, and within 30 minutes they're in a hostage situation with the FBI. Things \u003ci\u003ereally\u003c\/i\u003e get crazy when reporters learn that one of the robbers is gay and married to a trans woman. The crowd of journalists and onlookers grows into the hundreds, desperate for a glimpse of this charismatic live-wire who's robbing the bank not for greed or thrills, but to fund his partner's sexual reassignment surgery. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSound familiar? This is the plot of \u003ci\u003eDog Day Afternoon\u003c\/i\u003e, the 1975 film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino, John Cazale, and Chris Sarandon. It remains a high-water mark of New Hollywood, where the best acting talent of the day came together on a film that was truly exceptional. But equally exceptional was the fact that the film was based on a true-life incident. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on extensive archival research, film historian Rachel Walther delves into the film's backstory, tracing how an unbelievable true crime tale of love, bank robbery, and LGBTQI+ activism became a box-office smash and catapulted a group of Brooklyn outsiders into the media spotlight. Name-checked on TV shows from \u003ci\u003eThe Simpsons\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003eDrunk History\u003c\/i\u003e, and now a Broadway play, \u003ci\u003eDog Day Afternoon\u003c\/i\u003e's legacy continues to inspire filmmakers, writers, and actors. Walther's deep dive interrogates the film's place in the 1970s zeitgeist, set against a background of antiwar activism and the fight for gay and trans rights, and in doing so shows its continuing relevance today.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Rachel Walther\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Headpress\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/05\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 152\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.87lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 10.00h x 7.99w x 0.40d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781915316509\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWalther, Rachel:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cb\u003eRachel Walther\u003c\/b\u003e is a regular contributor to \u003ci\u003eNOIR CITY\u003c\/i\u003e and the film columnist for Hamam, an international arts journal. Her work has been published by \u003ci\u003eVogue Italia\u003c\/i\u003e, NPR, Amoeba Music, and the \u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e. She is based in Oakland, California.","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Rachel Walther \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47897117720733,"sku":"9781915316509","price":29.94,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_37129d2e-829c-40bd-8635-7b7bc41a0188.jpg?v=1778002218","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/born-to-lose-the-misfits-who-made-dog-day-afternoon-9781915316509","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}