History Trivia / BonnieAndClyde

** Creator/ShirleyMacLaine was considered for Bonnie, but Warren Beatty decided to play Clyde and preferred not to have to [[IncestuousCasting kiss his sister on the mouth on-camera]]. Creator/NatalieWood, Creator/WarrenBeatty's ex-girlfriend (one of many actually), was considered for the role of Bonnie - and incidentally was actually a lot closer to the real Bonnie's physicality (they were both short ladies). Music/{{Cher}} auditioned for Bonnie Parker, but when her husband/manager at the time, Music/SonnyBono, heard about the audition, he was furious at Creator/WarrenBeatty for letting his wife audition for such a "controversial film". Creator/JaneFonda auditioned for the role and Creator/LeslieCaron and Creator/JulieChristie was also considered. Creator/TuesdayWeld, with whom Beatty had worked during his brief time in the cast of ''Series/TheManyLovesOfDobieGillis'', turned down the role because she was a new mother.

* GayPanic: Bonnie and Clyde were originally supposed to have a bisexual relationship with C.W. Moss, but that was changed when Arthur Penn felt that would have defused the audience sympathy, leading them to be dismissed as "perverts" because they are criminals and ultimately harmed the story. There were also rumors that Creator/WarrenBeatty was unwilling to portray a bisexual and ruin his image and there was the fact that UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode would never have permitted it in the film in the first place.

* WagTheDirector: Creator/WarrenBeatty and Creator/ArthurPenn quarreled constantly during filming, as the star questioned almost every one of the director's choices. As a result, the rest of the cast often spent hours waiting for them to settle their differences. One major bone of contention was Penn's insistence that they add a scene in which Bonnie and Clyde pretend to be dead. Beatty insisted the idea was ridiculously pretentious, but Creator/RobertTowne tried to write it anyway. The writer soon realized that Beatty was right, but cautioned him to avoid a confrontation on the matter. In his opinion, Penn was only holding onto the idea out of insecurity - he couldn't admit he was wrong. After a few weeks of filming bolstered Penn's confidence, Towne was sure he'd drop the idea, which is exactly what happened.

** The writers of this film originally hoped to they could get either of the great UsefulNotes/FrenchNewWave directors to helm this film, Creator/FrancoisTruffaut or Creator/JeanLucGodard. Unfortunately, after helping develop the script, Truffaut ultimately decided to direct ''Film/{{Fahrenheit 451}}'' instead and Godard made unreasonable demands when the producers were courting him.[[note]]Supposedly, he wanted to shoot the film in UsefulNotes/NewJersey ''during winter'', and was deeply offended when they refused. Given his disposition towards Hollywood, he was likely seeing [[TrollingCreator just how much they would let him get away with]].[[/note]] So Creator/ArthurPenn, whom Truffaut had recommended, did it instead. Creator/SydneyPollack, Creator/JohnSchlesinger, Creator/GeorgeStevens and Creator/WilliamWyler were offered the director's chair.

* DoingItForTheArt: Creator/WarrenBeatty produced the film for this reason, eager to prove that he was more than just a prettyboy.

* IncestuousCasting: Averted at the very last minute. See below.

* RomanceOnTheSet: {{Averted}}. Though Creator/WarrenBeatty was notorious for romancing his costars, he and Creator/FayeDunaway agreed to remain platonic for the sake of the film.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Averted. Though Creator/WarrenBeatty was notorious for romancing his costars, he and Creator/FayeDunaway agreed to remain platonic for the sake of the film.

** Bonnie and Clyde were originally supposed to have a bisexual relationship with their driver, but that was changed when Arthur Penn felt that would have defused the audience sympathy, leading them to be dismissed as "perverts" because they are criminals and ultimately harmed the story. There were also rumors that Creator/WarrenBeatty was unwilling to portray a bisexual and ruin his image and there was the fact that UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode would never have permitted it in the film in the first place.

** Creator/ShirleyMacLaine was considered for Bonnie, but Warren Beatty decided to play Clyde and preferred not to have to [[IncestuousCasting kiss his sister on the mouth on-camera]]. Creator/NatalieWood, Creator/WarrenBeatty's ex-girlfriend (one of many actually), was considered for the role of Bonnie - and incidentally was actually a lot closer to the real Bonnie's physicality (they were both short ladies). Music/{{Cher}} auditioned for Bonnie Parker, but when her husband/manager at the time, Music/SonnyBono, heard about the audition, he was furious at Creator/WarrenBeatty for letting his wife audition for such a "controversial film". Creator/JaneFonda auditioned for the role and Creator/LeslieCaron and Creator/JulieChristie was also considered.

* UsefulNotes/AFIS100YearsSeries:
** AFIS100Years100Movies: #27
** AFIS100Years100Thrills: #13
** AFIS100Years100Passions: #65
** AFIS100Years100HeroesAndVillains:
*** #32 Villains, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker
** AFIS100Years100MovieQuotes:
*** #41, "We rob banks."
** AFIS100Years100Movies10THAnniversaryEdition: #42
** AFIS10Top10:
*** #5, Gangster Film

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Creator/WarrenBeatty, one of Hollywood's biggest womanizers, plays a character who suffers from impotence. Clyde even says himself that he "ain't much of a lover boy".

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Creator/WarrenBeatty, one of Hollywood's biggest womanizers, plays a character who suffers from impotence. Clyde even says himself that he ain't much of a loverboy.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Creator/WarrenBeatty, one of Hollywood's biggest womanizers, plays a character who is impotent. He even says that he ain't much of a loverboy.

** Likewise, many films in the OutlawCouple genre (also inspired by other real-life and similar incidents) followed on: ''Film/TheHoneymoonKillers'', ''Film/{{Badlands}}'', ''Film/ThievesLikeUs'', ''Film/TheSugarlandExpress'' to name a few.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Creator/WarrenBeatty, one of Hollywood's biggest womanisers, plays a character who is impotent. He even says that he ain't much of a loverboy.
* ProducedByCastmember: Creator/WarrenBeatty produced and was instrumental in getting it made (legend has it that he got on his knees and begged Jack L. Warner to make it).
* TheRedStapler: Thousand of berets were sold worldwide after Creator/FayeDunaway wore them in this film.

** The film's success inspired a few {{exploitation film}}s about other '30s gangsters, such as ''Film/ABullet ForPrettyBoy'', starring former teen idol Fabian Forte as Pretty Boy Floyd, ''Bloody Mama'' (1970), starring Creator/ShelleyWinters as Ma Barker and directed by Creator/RogerCorman, and ''Film/Dillinger1973'', starring Creator/WarrenOates and directed by Creator/JohnMilius.