Classics like “12 Angry Men,” “Serpico,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “The Verdict” and “Network” would never have existed without Sidney Lumet. And now, we will be without the legendary New York director. He died Saturday morning at his home in Manhattan. He was 86.
“While the goal of all movies is to entertain,” Mr. Lumet once wrote, “the kind of film in which I believe goes one step further. It compels the spectator to examine one facet or another of his own conscience. It stimulates thought and sets the mental juices flowing.”
Lumet’s films have nominated for more the 40 Academy Awards and often tackled difficult social issues set against a gritty New York backdrop, which he often preferred to fabricated Hollywood sets.
