Shocking Facts About Iconic Movies That Even Experts May Not Know
Sometimes so much effort goes into making a movie, it isn't enough to just watch it over and over again. To truly appreciate it, you have to know the details about how it was made and the mysterious truths behind each movie. Fans of “The Wizard Of Oz”, can you count exactly how many characters Frank Morgan has portrayed? Or fans of “Some Like It Hot'' may not be aware that this film does not have the Motion Picture Production Code approval.
Here we take a look back at some of the most iconic movies of all time. But it doesn't stop there, we'll dig deep to discover some shocking facts behind each movie that even true cinema experts don't know about. Curious to know what movies there are and what is the truth behind the success of each film? So check the information below, and you'll surely find something that you didn't know before.
- Terry, the little female Cairn terrier that plays Toto, was paid $125 a week, though the dog's trainer always bemoaned not asking for more since the producers were desperate to cast Terry.
- On top of the physical torture, most of the Wicked Witch's scenes had to be edited or cut completely after being deemed too terrifying for children. Hamilton admitted it was her biggest worry as well; she was concerned that children wouldn't understand who she truly was. In truth, the actress had a great love and compassion for kids and constantly donated to charitable projects.
- You probably know that the fortune-telling Kansas professor and the Great and Powerful Oz were portrayed by actor Frank Morgan. But Morgan was also the Emerald City cabbie driving the Horse-of-a-Different-Color, a guard at the Wizard's palace, and the doorkeeper there.
- In 1974, Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli married producer Jack Haley, Jr. — whose father was Jack Haley. (They split in 1979).
- For 71 non-consecutive days of work, Gable received over $120,000 for his performance as Rhett. Leigh worked nearly double (125 days!) but was paid only $25,000. From a modern perspective, that's pretty tough to swallow, considering Leigh — let's be real — made this movie the tour de force it is.
- Curses and other profanity were prohibited under the Hollywood Production Code in movies. According to a rumor, David O. Selznick was forced to pay a $5,000 fine for employing an inappropriate word in Rhett's final line. In actuality, though, they were permitted to use it as a literary quotation.
- Produced without approval from the Motion Picture Production Code, the film’s story plays not only with the idea of cross-dressing but homosexuality. As a result, the film was banned from being shown in Kansas, and the Roman Catholic Church legion of Decency rated it “Morally Objectionable in Part for All.”
- A cabaret dancer (a man who played women on stage) tried to teach Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon to walk in heels. But after a week, Lemmon declined his help after realizing that he wanted to look like a man trying to walk like a woman rather than simply walking like a woman.
- George Raft spent hours teaching Jack Lemmon how to tango.
- The now-famous closing line, "Nobody's perfect," was originally conceived as a stand-in for whatever Wilder and Diamond could come up with later - which eventually turned out to be nothing. Wilder later wrote his own epitaph inspired by a similar line: "I'm a writer, but then nobody's perfect."
- While Marilyn Monroe struggled to deliver her lines correctly, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon were forced to stand about in excruciatingly high heels. As one might assume, as soon as they heard the priceless word "Cut," they threw off their shoes and began to bathe their aching feet.
- The costume store was where Lemmon and Curtis were meant to choose some gowns. But they declined, stating that they wanted to seem equally as dazzling as Marilyn Monroe if males were going to pick their clothing. So they requested that the same designer create their clothing.
- For the film, Brando didn't put cotton in his mouth. He did it to make Vito Corleone "look like a bulldog" for the sake of the screen test. He had a dentist design him a special mouthpiece to mimic sagging jowls during the movie's production.
- Brando argued that by reading his lines during the take, he was able to be more natural and the canned quality of his lines was reduced. In the documentary The Making of Superman: The Movie, Brando explained, "If you have a general idea of what the words are, then you look at the card and it gives the feeling to the viewer that the person is really searching for what he is going to say.
- It is known that Francis Coppola could change the script and add lines while working on a film. This time he liked some scenes where actors flubbed some lines nervously and used them in the final cut.
- All of the actors who played patients actually lived in the Oregon State Hospital psychiatric ward throughout production. The men personalized their sleeping quarters, spent their days on campus “getting a sense of what it was to be hospitalized” (as actor Vincent Schiavelli put it), and interacting with real psychiatric patients.
- In addition to enjoying improvisation, director Milos Forman frequently captured actors' reactions. Even though the actors had very little dialogue in the sequences, he nevertheless added it to the finished product. After McMurphy returned from the shock therapy, the scene in which Louise Fletcher stared icily at him was a genuine-irritated response to one of Forman's shots.
- A genuine hospital superintendent was Dr. Dean R. Brooks. He, therefore, portrays himself in the film. The majority of the initial McMurphy sequences, which took place just after he arrived at the hospital, were entirely improvised, including the dialogue in Brook's office. All of the doctor's emotions were essentially genuine because he wasn't an actor himself.
Here we take a look back at some of the most iconic movies of all time. But it doesn't stop there, we'll dig deep to discover some shocking facts behind each movie that even true cinema experts don't know about. Curious to know what movies there are and what is the truth behind the success of each film? So check the information below, and you'll surely find something that you didn't know before.
#1 The Wizard Of Oz
Source: © The Wizard of Oz / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
- Terry, the little female Cairn terrier that plays Toto, was paid $125 a week, though the dog's trainer always bemoaned not asking for more since the producers were desperate to cast Terry.
- On top of the physical torture, most of the Wicked Witch's scenes had to be edited or cut completely after being deemed too terrifying for children. Hamilton admitted it was her biggest worry as well; she was concerned that children wouldn't understand who she truly was. In truth, the actress had a great love and compassion for kids and constantly donated to charitable projects.
- You probably know that the fortune-telling Kansas professor and the Great and Powerful Oz were portrayed by actor Frank Morgan. But Morgan was also the Emerald City cabbie driving the Horse-of-a-Different-Color, a guard at the Wizard's palace, and the doorkeeper there.
- In 1974, Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli married producer Jack Haley, Jr. — whose father was Jack Haley. (They split in 1979).
#2 Gone With the Wind
Source: © Gone With the Wind / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and co-producer
- For 71 non-consecutive days of work, Gable received over $120,000 for his performance as Rhett. Leigh worked nearly double (125 days!) but was paid only $25,000. From a modern perspective, that's pretty tough to swallow, considering Leigh — let's be real — made this movie the tour de force it is.
- Curses and other profanity were prohibited under the Hollywood Production Code in movies. According to a rumor, David O. Selznick was forced to pay a $5,000 fine for employing an inappropriate word in Rhett's final line. In actuality, though, they were permitted to use it as a literary quotation.
#3 Some Like It Hot
Source: © Capital Pictures / EAST NEWS
- Produced without approval from the Motion Picture Production Code, the film’s story plays not only with the idea of cross-dressing but homosexuality. As a result, the film was banned from being shown in Kansas, and the Roman Catholic Church legion of Decency rated it “Morally Objectionable in Part for All.”
- A cabaret dancer (a man who played women on stage) tried to teach Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon to walk in heels. But after a week, Lemmon declined his help after realizing that he wanted to look like a man trying to walk like a woman rather than simply walking like a woman.
- George Raft spent hours teaching Jack Lemmon how to tango.
Source: © Some Like It Hot / Ashton Productions and co-producer
- The now-famous closing line, "Nobody's perfect," was originally conceived as a stand-in for whatever Wilder and Diamond could come up with later - which eventually turned out to be nothing. Wilder later wrote his own epitaph inspired by a similar line: "I'm a writer, but then nobody's perfect."
- While Marilyn Monroe struggled to deliver her lines correctly, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon were forced to stand about in excruciatingly high heels. As one might assume, as soon as they heard the priceless word "Cut," they threw off their shoes and began to bathe their aching feet.
- The costume store was where Lemmon and Curtis were meant to choose some gowns. But they declined, stating that they wanted to seem equally as dazzling as Marilyn Monroe if males were going to pick their clothing. So they requested that the same designer create their clothing.
Source: © Allpix Press / East News
#4 The Godfather
Source: © Capital Pictures / East News, © Paramount Pictures / Collection Christophel / East News
- For the film, Brando didn't put cotton in his mouth. He did it to make Vito Corleone "look like a bulldog" for the sake of the screen test. He had a dentist design him a special mouthpiece to mimic sagging jowls during the movie's production.
- Brando argued that by reading his lines during the take, he was able to be more natural and the canned quality of his lines was reduced. In the documentary The Making of Superman: The Movie, Brando explained, "If you have a general idea of what the words are, then you look at the card and it gives the feeling to the viewer that the person is really searching for what he is going to say.
- It is known that Francis Coppola could change the script and add lines while working on a film. This time he liked some scenes where actors flubbed some lines nervously and used them in the final cut.
#5 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Source: © One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest / Fantasy Films and co-producers
- All of the actors who played patients actually lived in the Oregon State Hospital psychiatric ward throughout production. The men personalized their sleeping quarters, spent their days on campus “getting a sense of what it was to be hospitalized” (as actor Vincent Schiavelli put it), and interacting with real psychiatric patients.
- In addition to enjoying improvisation, director Milos Forman frequently captured actors' reactions. Even though the actors had very little dialogue in the sequences, he nevertheless added it to the finished product. After McMurphy returned from the shock therapy, the scene in which Louise Fletcher stared icily at him was a genuine-irritated response to one of Forman's shots.
- A genuine hospital superintendent was Dr. Dean R. Brooks. He, therefore, portrays himself in the film. The majority of the initial McMurphy sequences, which took place just after he arrived at the hospital, were entirely improvised, including the dialogue in Brook's office. All of the doctor's emotions were essentially genuine because he wasn't an actor himself.
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