About this episode

Chris & Lizzie explore the impact of John Wojtowicz's failed bank heist on cinema history and the ethical considerations of film adaptations.

54 years ago, nearly to the day, John Wojtowicz and two accomplices caught a matinee showing of The Godfather , then walked into a bank and inadvertently changed cinema history. Chris & Lizzie explore Sidney Lumet's adaptation of Wojtowicz's sensational and tragic failed heist, the major studios' reticence to touch the material, Al Pacino's struggles with the role, and what Hollywood owes the subjects who inspire the films they make. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Hosts: Chris, Lizzie

Topics covered

• heist
• cinema history
• film adaptation
• Hollywood ethics
• true crime

Keywords

• Dog Day Afternoon
• John Wojtowicz
• The Godfather
• Al Pacino
• Sidney Lumet
• heist
• film history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Sidney Lumet, Acast

Books & works: The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon

More episodes of WHAT WENT WRONG

• Witches! A Primer · September 11, 2026 · 49 min
• Psycho · September 7, 2026 · 1h 34m
• Dysfunctional Duos (with Couples Therapy Podcast) · September 2, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Thelma & Louise · August 31, 2026 · 1h 24m
• Featurette: Drop Dead Gorgeous (with Ruined) · August 28, 2026 · 1h 3m
• Three Kings · August 17, 2026 · 1h 26m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the WHAT WENT WRONG podcast page.