What was Sidney Lumet’s best film?
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The death of Sidney Lumet this weekend evoked the legacy of a man who made some extraordinarily complex -- but highly accessible -- dramas over half a century in filmmaking. As The Times’ Betsy Sharkey writes in her appreciation today, ‘His were grown-up stories, most often New York stories, of adults caught up in fundamental conflicts.... [Lumet was] intensely in love with humanity, forgiving of its flaws.’
For decades, high school students have watched ’12 Angry Men’ with perhaps only a shade less appreciation than media insiders enjoy ‘Network.’ But what was his best movie? Certainly there’s a case to be made for ‘Network’ and its colorful characters and prophetic qualities. With its sharp dialogue and slow-burn revelations, ‘Men’ made the subject of evidentiary details compelling (and helped birth the modern courtroom thriller).
‘Serpico’ was one of the great cinematic stories of cops and corruption, as was ‘Prince of the City.’ ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ tread the same rich ground while also breaking a taboo. And younger film fans will remember the jewel-heist twists and family secrets of ‘Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,’ the director’s last movie in 2007.
Which Lumet picture was best? Vote and tell us your thoughts below.
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Award-winning director Sidney Lumet dies
--Steven Zeitchik
