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Sidney Lumet

Sidney Lumet

Highest Rated: 100% King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1970)

Lowest Rated: 14% Gloria (1999)

Birthday: Jun 25, 1924

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

A consummate workaholic who helmed vibrant films well into his eighties, Sidney Lumet laid claim to being one of the most revered and most imitated directors of all time. Films like "Twelve Angry Men" (1957), "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), "Network" (1976) and "The Verdict" (1982) were more than just classics - they became cultural fixtures that transcended generational demands. Because of his visual economy, strong direction of actors, vigorous storytelling and use of the camera to accent themes, Lumet produced a body of work that could only be defined as extraordinary. By refusing to "go Hollywood," he instead became strongly identified with the city of his youth, New York, the place where he filmed a great majority of his films. In fact, Lumet's use of the city became more than just location - he turned New York into a character just as vital and alive as Frank Serpico, Howard Beale or Sonny Wortzik. But it was the social realism which permeated his greatest work that truly defined Lumet - the themes of youthful idealism beaten down by corruption and the hopelessness of inept social institutions allowed him to produce several trenchant and potent films that no other director could have made.

Highest rated movies

88% Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust
83% I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale

Photos

TWELVE ANGRY MEN, from left, director Sidney Lumet, Edward Binns, 1957 TWELVE ANGRY MEN, director Sidney Lumet, (left), on-set, 1957 JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, director Sidney Lumet, Ali MacGraw, screenwriter Jay Presson Allen, 1980, (c) Warner Brothers NETWORK, director, Sidney Lumet, 1976. GLORIA, Sidney Lumet, 1999, arms folded THE OFFENCE, director Sidney Lumet, 1973 THE OFFENCE, from left, Sean Connery, director Sidney Lumet, Ian Bannen, 1973 THE OFFENCE, from left, Sean Connery, director Sidney Lumet, Ian Bannen, 1973 ONE THIRD OF A NATION, Sidney Lumet, (standing, center), 1939 DOG DAY AFTERNOON, director Sidney Lumet lining up a shot, on set, 1975 THE WIZ, director Sidney Lumet, 1978, ©Universal Pictures . SERPICO, Director Sidney Lumet, Al Pacino, 1973. LAST OF THE MOBILE HOT SHOTS, James Coburn, Lynn Redgrave, director Sidney Lumet, on set, 1970 THE FUGITIVE KIND, director Sidney Lumet (left), producers Martin Jurow and Richard Shepherd (center), production manager George Justin (extreme right), meet the press at Gold Medal Studios, Bronx, New York, 1960 THE PAWNBROKER, from left: director Sidney Lumet, Thelma Oliver, Rod Steiger on set, 1964 THE MORNING AFTER, Director Sidney Lumet, 1986. (c) Lorimar Productions. A STRANGER AMONG US, Director Sidney Lumet, Mia Sara, Melanie Grifith, on set, 1992. ©Buena Vista Pictures NETWORK, Sidney Lumet directing scene, on set, 1976 GARBO TALKS, Director Sidney Lumet, 1984. (c) MGM. BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD, director Sidney Lumet, Philip Seymour Hoffman, on set, 2007. ©Think Film
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
83% 75% By Sidney Lumet Self - 2015
83% 85% I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale Unknown (Character) - 2009
89% 72% Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Director $7.1M 2007
63% 62% Find Me Guilty Director,
Writer,
Producer 		$1.2M 2006
No Score Yet 46% Strip Search Director - 2004
88% 83% Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust Unknown (Character) - 2004
14% 31% Gloria Director $4.2M 1999
59% 30% Critical Care Producer,
Director 		$169.4K 1997
71% 64% Night Falls on Manhattan Director,
Writer 		$9.9M 1996
38% 43% Guilty as Sin Director $22.7M 1993
22% 39% A Stranger Among Us Director $12.1M 1992
88% 58% Q & A Director,
Screenwriter 		$10.5M 1990
35% 28% Family Business Director $11.1M 1989
81% 69% Running on Empty Director $1.8M 1988
50% 44% Power Director $3.1M 1986
63% 38% The Morning After Director $22.4M 1986
57% 50% Garbo Talks Director - 1984
43% 54% Daniel Director - 1983
88% 88% The Verdict Director - 1982
74% 70% Deathtrap Director - 1982
92% 82% Prince of the City Director,
Screenwriter 		- 1981
No Score Yet 47% Just Tell Me What You Want Director,
Producer 		- 1980
44% 65% The Wiz Director - 1978
70% 78% Equus Director - 1977
91% 93% Network Director - 1976
96% 90% Dog Day Afternoon Director - 1975
90% 78% Murder on the Orient Express Director - 1974
40% 14% Lovin' Molly Director - 1974
71% 72% The Offence Director - 1973
93% 88% Serpico Director - 1973
No Score Yet 52% Child's Play Director - 1972
76% 53% The Anderson Tapes Director - 1971
100% 100% King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis Director - 1970
No Score Yet 0% The Last of the Mobile Hot-Shots Director,
Producer 		- 1969
No Score Yet 72% The Appointment Director - 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Sea Gull Director,
Producer 		- 1968
33% 33% Bye Bye Braverman Director,
Producer 		- 1968
No Score Yet 65% The Deadly Affair Director - 1966
75% 59% The Group Director - 1966
71% 92% The Hill Director - 1965
86% 87% The Pawnbroker Director - 1964
93% 91% Fail-Safe Director,
Co-Executive Producer 		- 1964
94% 85% Long Day's Journey Into Night Director - 1962
80% 62% A View From the Bridge Director - 1961
53% 63% The Fugitive Kind Director - 1960
No Score Yet 54% That Kind of Woman Director - 1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates Director - 1958
100% 97% 12 Angry Men Director - 1957
No Score Yet 56% Stage Struck Director - 1957
No Score Yet No Score Yet One Third of a Nation Joey Rogers (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet No Score Yet The 400 Million Unknown (Voice) - 1939

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Inside the Actors Studio Guest 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Producers' Showcase Director 1957
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Alcoa Hour Director 1956
No Score Yet No Score Yet The United States Steel Hour Director 1955