* AbilityOverAppearance: Creator/FayeDunaway was nine inches taller than the real Bonnie Parker.
* CareerResurrection: Since his StarMakingRole in ''Film/SplendorInTheGrass'', Creator/WarrenBeatty had been in a succession of films that weren't successful, and was in danger of being remembered only as "Creator/ShirleyMacLaine's little brother who was in a few movies." In producing and starring in this film, he not only turned his career around, but became a Hollywood powerhouse.
* ColbertBump: Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs (and {{Bluegrass}} in general) got a huge boost after "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" was featured prominently on the soundtrack.
* CompletelyDifferentTitle:
** Italy: ''Gangster Story''
** Japan: ''We Have No Tomorrow''
* CreativeDifferences: Cinematographer Burnett Guffey was dismissed during this production, due to artistic clashes with Arthur Penn (Guffey wanted more light, Penn wanted a more subdued tone). In the meantime, veteran Cinematographer Ellsworth Fredericks replaced Guffey, but only for a brief period. Penn, realizing that he'd misjudged Guffey, ultimately reinstated him, and Guffey went on to win a second Oscar for Best Cinematography for his efforts.
* DyeingForYourArt: Creator/FayeDunaway was told to lose 25 pounds off her 5'7" frame. For weeks she fasted except for an occasional salad and walked around wearing a 12-pound weight belt, with smaller weights around her wrists to help her burn the pounds off faster. She only took the weights off to sleep and bathe.
* FollowTheLeader:
** The film's success inspired a few {{exploitation film}}s about other '30s gangsters, such as ''A Bullet for Pretty Boy'' (1970), directed by Creator/LarryBuchanan and starring [[Music/{{Fabian}} Fabian Forte]] as Pretty Boy Floyd; ''Bloody Mama'' (1970), directed by Creator/RogerCorman and starring Creator/ShelleyWinters as Ma Barker; and ''Film/{{Dillinger|1973}}'' (1973), directed by Creator/JohnMilius and starring Creator/WarrenOates as John Dillinger.
** 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.
* 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 potentially “ruin” his image
* IronyAsSheIsCast: Creator/WarrenBeatty, one of Hollywood's biggest womanizers, plays a character who suffers from impotence and in his own words "ain't much of a lover boy".
* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/WarrenBeatty produced the film for this reason, eager to prove that he was more than just a prettyboy.
* 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: Thousands of berets were sold worldwide after Creator/FayeDunaway wore them in this film.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork: Attempted. Creator/WarnerBros -- and Jack L. Warner himself -- considered the film an unwanted and unpleasant gangster flick doomed to bomb and treated it accordingly, giving it a limited release. Even after the film turned into a runaway success, Jack L. Warner was said to have carried a hatred of it until his death.
* SleeperHit: Creator/WarnerBros thought that the film would bomb, feeling that nobody would want to [[DracoInLeatherPants cheer for the outlaws]] in a gangster flick, and dumped it in [[DumpMonths August]] and offered Warren Beatty 40% of the gross as a result. Upon release, the mixed critical reception seemed to bear out their fears. But when young people started raving about it to everybody in earshot, it turned into one of the biggest films of 1967, and remains a classic.
* StarMakingRole: For Creator/WarrenBeatty and Creator/FayeDunaway. To a lesser extent for Creator/GeneHackman, though he wouldn't quite be recognized as a leading man until ''Film/TheFrenchConnection'' a few years later.
* ThrowItIn: The famous shot of a cloud passing overhead while Clyde is chasing Bonnie through a cornfield was unplanned.
* UncreditedRole: Creator/RobertTowne was an uncredited script doctor on the film.
* WagTheDirector: Creator/WarrenBeatty and Arthur Penn 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.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** 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 ''Literature/Fahrenheit451'' 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.
** 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 were 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.
** Before deciding to play the role himself, producer Creator/WarrenBeatty's first choice for the role of Clyde Barrow was Music/BobDylan, who, at the time, bore a physical resemblance to the actual Clyde. Truffaut had hoped to cast either Creator/TerenceStamp or Creator/PaulNewman.
** Creator/WarrenBeatty wanted to shoot this movie in black and white. This was rejected by Warner Bros.
** Creator/JackNicholson was considered for either Buck Barrow or C.W. Moss, but he looked too similar to Creator/WarrenBeatty.
** Creator/DennisHopper was considered for C.W. Moss.
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