Ranking the Films: The Sidney Lumet Version

The world lost a great director Saturday morning when Sydney Lumet passed away from Lymphoma at age 86. While he never won an Oscar for any of his work (aside from a honorary career achievement award) he made no less than 5 stone cold classic films and over 50 total in his career. While I only have had the privilege of seeing 8 of those films, almost all of them are sitting in my personal dvd/blu-ray collection. Consider this ranking of those 8 as my tribute to a great artist. R.I.P. Sidney.

8. Find Me Guilty (2006)

I honestly have no recollection of watching this film and if my Netflix account hadn't told me I watched it when it came out on video I wouldn't have included it here. I gave it 3 stars at the time so I must not have hated it but it obviously didn't make any sort of impression on me either.

7. Fail-Safe (1964)

This cold war apocalypse film came out right after Dr. Strangelove and even though it boasts a fantastic cast (highlighted by Henry Fonda and Walter Matthau) it's nowhere near the level of Kubrick's masterpiece. It's still a good film that was (and is still) hurt by the timing of it's release.

6. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

Lumet's late career highlight is a high quality look at inept criminals and the trouble they get themselves into. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney and Marissa Tomei are all fantastic. The story is engrossing and the ending is unrelenting. It may not reach the heights of the best of Lumet's work but as the last film he ever helmed, it's a worthy exit point.

5. The Verdict (1982)

Lumet was always known for his work with actors and The Verdict is no exception. Paul Newman absolutely owns as an alcoholic ambulance chaser who fights to overcome his own demons and do the right thing. The Verdictis a fine film and one that would place higher on the list if not for the depth of quality in Lumet's filmography.

4. Serpico (1973)

At this point it's nearly impossible to distinguish between what's left on the list. Serpico is so fantastic that it seems like a shame to rank it fourth but here we are. Pacino is great as one of the only honest cops in the NYPD and it's indictment of society and corruption still resonates today.

3. Network (1976)

It's absolutely amazing how relevant Network is in today's era of 24 hour news channels, infotainment and ridiculous sensationalism. Paddy Chayefsky's script is full of insight and dark humor that Lumet brings to life with excitement and a twisted sense of joy. Peter Finch's "mad as hell" speech is one of the most famous rants in movie history and the rest of cast (Faye Dunaway, Robert Duvall, William Holden, Ned Beatty, Beatrice Straight) achieves perfection. Watch it today and think about what likely goes on being the scenes at Fox News and MSNBC. It's uncanny.

2. 12 Angry Men (1957)

Lumet's first feature film remains one of the finest courtroom drama's ever made and a terrific showcase of fortitude, integrity and one man's willingness to stand up for what he believes in. The cast (Henry Fonda, Jack Warden, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, Jack Krugman) is as good as it gets and Lumet add's a visual style that is simple, effective and perfect for the film. Speaking of perfect, that's about the best way to describe 12 Angry Men.

1. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Quite simply, Dog Day Afternoon is one of my 25 favorite movies. There's not much more to say. It's amazing on so many levels. It works great as a character study, heist film, a look at homosexual/trans gender roles, an examination of fame and it's inevitable 15 minutes of run time. It only gets better with multiple viewings and will remain a staple of my film rotation.