WRITER: David Webb Peoples.
PRODUCER: Clint Eastwood.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Julian Ludwig.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: David Valdes.
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Lennie Niehaus and Clint Eastwood (Claudia's theme, uncredited).
DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.
Ned: You were crazy, Will.
Bill: Yeah, no one liked me. Mountain boys all thought I was gonna shoot 'em out of pure meanness.
Ned: Well, like I said, you ain't like that no more.
Bill: That's right. I'm just a fella now. I ain't no different than anyone else no more.
BOX OFFICE OPENING: $15.0 million (USA)
BOX OFFICE RESULT: $101.1 million (USA)
- The script floated around Hollywood for nearly 20 years, during which time Gene Hackman read and rejected it, only to be later convinced by Clint Eastwood (who had owned the rights to the script for some time) to play a role.
- Munny's children are named Will and Penny, possibly a reference to the film Will Penny (1968), in which a cowboy turns gunslinger to help out a window and her children.
- Saul Rubinek asks Clint Eastwood how he chose the order to which to shoot six deputies. Eastwood replies that he "got lucky." This is a sly reference to Eastwood's earlier film The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), in which Chief Dan George asks Eastwood how he chose the order in which to shoot four Union soldiers, and Eastwood responds with a lengthy explanation about their various holsters and the looks in their eyes.
- The film was tentatively titled "The William Munny Killings."
- There is a reference to a town called Medicine Hat in the movie. It is a real city located in the province of Alberta, Canada, where the movie was filmed.
- Only the third western to ever win the Best Picture Oscar. The other two being Dances With Wolves (1990) and Cimarron (1931).
- The final screen credit reads -- "Dedicated to Sergio and Don" referring to Eastwood's mentors, Sergio Leone and Don Siegel.
- Although the score was arranged by Lennie Niehaus, the main theme was written by Eastwood himself.
- Richard Harris was watching High Plains Drifter (1973) on TV when Eastwood phoned him to offer the part of English Bob.
- Eastwood's mother toiled through an uncomfortable day (wearing a heavy dress) as an extra, filming a scene where she boards a train; but the scene was eventually cut, with her son apologizing that the film was "too long and something had to go". All was forgiven when he brought her to the Academy Awards and thanked her prominently in his acceptance speech.
- The film was shot in 39 days, coming in 4 days ahead of schedule. The town had to be built very quickly, with a relatively short run-up time (2 months) to the start of filming; the construction period was used by the stunt coordinator to work on actors' riding skills and stunt choreography.
- The train sequences were filmed in Sonora, California, as there remained an operational 19th-century narrow-gauge railway track in the area.
- Winner of four Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman). Nominated for five more Academy Awards for Best Actor (Clint Eastwood), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Screenplay.
Clyde: You know, he don't have a straight angle in that whole god-damned porch, or the whole house for that matter. He is the worst damn carpenter.
The Schofield Kid: I trust you.
Bill: Don't go trusting me too much.