COMMENTARY: What you are about to see is true. It happened in Brooklyn, New York on August 22, 1972. It was a bad afternoon for John and Sow. They tried to rob a Brooklyn bank, but found that they were not very good at it, so did the rest of New York City. As police negotiated for the release of these hostages, they even brought John’s wife to the bank, no not his wife Carmen, but another man actually, a male transvestite, who also married John in a private ceremony. New Yorkers watched this soap opera on live television. All of this was very embarrassing for John, but at least they got Al Pacino to play him in the movie.

IRWIN KRAMER: Carmen was not just pleased with her portrayal, so she sued the producers for invasion of privacy claiming that they cast her in a false light. The studio moved to dismiss this invasion of privacy claim arguing that at the very least they change the name of her character, but would this be enough of a defense to Carmen’s lawsuit? According to the New York Supreme Court, it was a defense under New York Law as long as they use fictitious names you cannot sue for invasion of privacy just because you did not like your portrayal. Carmen lost her lawsuit, but her impact lives on in Hollywood. From now on, most movies come with a disclaimer.