Warren Beatty early misgivings by studio head Jack Warner, who put up the production money. Before filming began, Warner had asked an associate, "What does Warren Beatty think he's doing? How did he ever get us into this thing? This gangster stuff went out with Cagney." The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and seven Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor. After "Bonnie and Clyde", Beatty acted with Elizabeth Taylor in "The Only Game in Town" (1970), directed by George Stevens; "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" (1971), directed by Robert Altman; "Dollars" (1971),
The Wind and the Lion Wild Bunch", which inspired the final confrontation between the American and German troops and the earlier scene where the Sultan test-fires his Maxim gun. The film was a co production between MGM, then under the control of Daniel Melnick, and Columbia Pictures, then run by Peter Guber. It was produced by Herb Jaffe making his first film as an independent after five years as head of production at United Artists. Milius originally wanted Omar Sharif to play Raisuli and Faye Dunaway to play Eden Perdicaris, but Sharif refused the part and Dunaway became ill due to exhaustion, having to be