When the real drama happened off-screen

Did you know someone spiked the Titanic crew's food with PCP?

Some movies are memorable for what happens on screen. Others? Well, let's just say the real show was happening behind the camera. From explosive feuds to total meltdowns, these ten productions were a mess—and honestly, that makes them even more fascinating. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the chaos.

This epic was supposed to be Hollywood's crown jewel. Instead, it nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. The budget spiraled from $2 million to over $44 million—the equivalent of hundreds of millions today. Elizabeth Taylor fell seriously ill, sets were scrapped and rebuilt, and the production moved from London to Rome.

And then there was the love affair. Taylor and her co-star Richard Burton fell head over heels for each other—while both were married to other people. The scandal made headlines worldwide. The movie became the highest-grossing film of the year, but its massive budget meant it struggled to turn a profit and was a box office disappointment. The gossip? Priceless.

This beloved classic looks like pure magic on screen, but behind the curtain, it was anything but. The original Tin Man actor had to be replaced after the aluminum dust in his makeup nearly killed him. Judy Garland, just 16 at the time, was put on a strict diet by the studio and given pills to keep her energy up—a troubling practice that haunted her for years.

Multiple directors came and went during filming. There were costume accidents, on-set injuries, and the actors playing the flying monkeys reportedly terrorized cast members. It's a wonder the yellow brick road led anywhere at all.

Director Francis Ford Coppola went to the Philippines to make a war film—and essentially ended up living one. The shoot stretched from a planned six weeks to over a year. Marlon Brando arrived overweight and completely unprepared. Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack mid-production. A typhoon destroyed the sets.

Coppola himself had a nervous breakdown and threatened to quit. The documentary about the making of the film, Hearts of Darkness, is arguably more gripping than the movie itself. That's saying something, because the movie is considered one of the greatest ever made.

Steven Spielberg's thriller almost sank before it ever hit the water. The mechanical shark—nicknamed "Bruce" by the crew—malfunctioned constantly in the saltwater. It looked ridiculous, broke down every other day, and production on the water was a nightmare from the start.

But Spielberg turned the disaster into a stroke of genius. Unable to show the shark, he built suspense through music (John Williams’ score became iconic) and reaction shots instead. The result was one of the most terrifying movies ever made. Sometimes your problems solve themselves—or at least make for a better film.

Finding Scarlett O'Hara was a two-year circus. Over 1,400 women were tested for the role before Vivien Leigh was cast—famously just days before filming began. Director George Cukor was fired early on, reportedly because Clark Gable didn't like him, and Victor Fleming took over (while also directing The Wizard of Oz that same year—the man was busy).

On set, tensions ran high between the stars, the producers, and pretty much everyone else. Leigh and Olivia de Havilland both clashed with the production at various points. Still, the film won eight Academy Awards. Hollywood was always good at keeping its scandals off the official record.

This noir classic had real-life darkness lurking behind it. Director Roman Polanski and writer Robert Towne argued bitterly over the ending—Towne wanted something hopeful, while Polanski insisted on tragedy. Polanski won, and the bleak final scene became one of the most memorable in cinema history.

Then there was the tension between Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. By most accounts, they did not get along. Dunaway allegedly threw a cup of urine at Polanski during a dispute about her hair. Nicholson was reportedly frustrated for reasons too numerous to list. And yet somehow, they made magic.

James Cameron has a well-earned reputation for being, let's say, intense on set. During the making of Titanic, crew members were reportedly pushed to exhaustion, shooting in freezing water tanks for hours on end. At one point, someone spiked the crew's clam chowder with PCP—yes, really—sending dozens of people to the hospital.

Cameron himself was so difficult to work with that a crew member reportedly wore a T-shirt reading, "You Can't Scare Me, I Work for James Cameron." The budget ballooned to $200 million, making it the most expensive film ever made at the time. It also became the highest-grossing film in history. So he gets to keep being intense, apparently.

From day one, this film felt cursed, and the cast and crew weren't shy about saying so. There were mysterious fires, set accidents, and a string of deaths connected to people involved in the production. Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros, who both played characters that died in the film, passed away before it was even released.

Linda Blair, just 14 when she played the possessed Regan, suffered a back injury during a violent scene that caused problems for years. Director William Friedkin reportedly fired a gun on set to provoke a shocked reaction from actors. Audiences fainted in theaters. The making of this one was as unsettling as the film itself.

Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn were not exactly natural companions, and filming deep in Africa didn't help. The cast and crew battled dysentery, insects, heat, and flooding rivers throughout the shoot. Director John Huston insisted on eating and drinking whatever the locals offered—and stayed perfectly healthy.

Bogart and Hepburn, however, were miserable. She reportedly hated every minute in Africa, while he found the whole experience rather amusing. The creative tension between them, though, translated beautifully on screen. Their performances earned both actors Academy Award nominations, which goes to show that suffering is sometimes good for art.

Before it became a punchline, Waterworld was already a catastrophe in progress. Filming entirely on the ocean turned out to be as chaotic as it sounds. The sets broke apart and sank. The weather was brutal. Costs ran so far over budget that it became the most expensive film ever made at the time, a title it held until Titanic came along.

Kevin Costner and director Kevin Reynolds had a very public falling out, with Reynolds quitting before the film was finished. The press had a field day calling it "Kevin's Gate" and "Fishtar." The movie was actually decent, but the behind-the-scenes disaster overshadowed everything. Some films just can't escape their own reputation.

Deathbed statements

Beyond the grave: Take a look at the last words of 12 famous people

Image: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Throughout history, hundreds of historical figures have left their mark on the world through their marvelous achievements. When their lives came to an end, their last words were often a reflection of their lives and ideals. From George Washington and Mark Twain to Frank Sinatra and Leonardo Da Vinci, in this article, we will reveal 12 final words of memorable personalities.

Image: The New York Public Library

After serving two terms as the United State's first president, George Washington retired to his Virginia plantation. In mid-December 1799, he developed a cold and a severe sore throat. Despite doctors' efforts to cure him, the end was imminent.

His long-time secretary, Tobias Lear, was at his side during his last days and documented all the events that transpired, including the former president's last words. According to his account, shortly before he took his last breath George Washington said "Tis well" —an old-fashioned way of saying "everything is okay."

Image: Signal Corps Archive from United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noir icon of perpetual elegance and rebellious charisma, Humphrey Bogart is an undisputed legend in cinema history. A Hollywood Golden Age star, Bogart is still remembered today for his scar on his upper lip, his everlasting cigarette, and his perfect portrayal of gangsters and detectives.

At the age of 57 Bogart was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, for which he was hospitalized for several months. According to lore, the legendary star's last words were "I should never have switched from scotch to martinis." However, his wife Lauren Bacall confirmed that the last thing he actually said was "Goodbye Kid. Hurry back," before she left his bedside to get their children.

Image: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As one of the greatest American writers of all time, Mark Twain is usually credited with all sorts of great quotes that he often didn't say. For that reason, there are different versions of what his last words were before he died in 1910 at the age of 74.

The most plausible theory can be found in an article published one day after his death. According to this chronicle, Samuel Langhorne Clemens' last words were not spoken aloud but written. The famous humorist and essayist reportedly wrote to his daughter Clara, who accompanied him on his bedside, "Give me my glasses."

Image: MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Joan Crawford, the Oscar winner for Mildred Pierce and one of the greatest stars of Hollywood's golden age, died in 1977 of a heart attack.

The actress, who had a complicated personality, was true to her nature until her last breath. She was so ill that her doctor felt it wasn’t worth taking her to the hospital. One of her nurses began to pray aloud in desperation. Losing her patience, Crawford snapped for the last time and said, "Damn it... Don't you dare ask God to help me."

Image: Municipal Library of Trento, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The year 2024 marked the 700th anniversary of the death of the man who better described remote lands. Marco Polo was a merchant who spent more than 20 years of his life traveling through the Orient and wrote about his adventures in a book that became a bestseller when the printing press wasn’t even invented.

Marco Polo was, and still is, a legend. When, on his deathbed, his wife and friends begged the brave explorer to confess if what he had told in the book was true, he barely whispered: "I have not told the half of what I saw and did."

Image: MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Julius Henry Marx, better known as Groucho Marx, is considered one of the most influential comedians of all time. The man with the bushy black mustache was one of the Marx Brothers. Together they made 13 films, including the classic Duck Soup. After a long and prominent career, Groucho passed away in Los Angeles in 1977 at the age of 86.

His brilliant one-liners are still remembered and replayed to this day, so it is not surprising that not one but several final words are attributed to him. A few close friends have suggested that his last line was "This is no way to live!", while most suggest that his last words were in fact dedicated to his wife: "Die, my dear? Why, that's the last thing I'll do!"

Image: Nicolas de Largillière, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Voltaire, the French writer, philosopher, historian, and lawyer, one of the major figures of the Enlightenment, died in 1778 at the age of 83. Different accounts of his deathbed make it impossible to determine exactly what his last days were like.

One of these stories, however, is consistent with his ideas about God and his well-known criticism of the Church. According to this version, when the priest asked him if he wanted to renounce Satan before he died, Voltaire replied, "This is no time to make new enemies."

Image: William Wallace Denslow, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

L. Frank Baum was a prolific American author. He wrote 55 novels, 82 short stories, and more than 200 poems. However, his most memorable work is his series of children's fantasy books The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

On May 5, 1919, Baum suffered a heart attack. He died the next day, shortly before his 63rd birthday. Disturbed by the imminence of death, he whispered to his wife: "Now we can cross the Shifting Sands," a clear reference to the Land of Oz.

Image: National Archaeological Museum of Athens, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Augustus, the first Roman emperor, is often attributed with the phrase: "Behold, I found Rome of clay, and leave her to you of marble," alluding to the great infrastructural works carried out during his prosperous 40 years of rule.

However, according to other historical accounts, his last words were addressed to the friends who stayed with him on his deathbed: "Have I played the part well? Then applaud, as I exit."

Image: English: Distributed by NBC. Photographer unknown., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

"Darling, you've gone through worse and you can beat this too. You have to fight," implored Barbara Marx, Frank Sinatra's fourth wife, to her beloved on his deathbed. "I'm losing," The Voice whispered through teary eyes.

Barbara recounted the last hours of the singer of such hits as My Way and New York, New York in her memoir Lady Blue Eyes: My Life With Frank. Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular entertainers of the mid-20th century, pronounced his last words in 1998 at the age of 82.

Image: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite being one of the most famous artists of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci was very hard on himself. All his life he challenged his own limits, evident in his paintings and sculptures as well as in his inventions, some of which were truly revolutionary.

Even after a lifetime of success, he wasn’t quite satisfied. When he suffered a stroke at the age of 67, he sent for a priest to receive the Holy Sacrament and, according to historians, his greatest regret was that he hadn’t achieved excellence with his work. In that sense, it is said that his last words were: "I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have."

Image: National Museum of Health and Medicine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Yankee Clipper was one of the greatest baseball players of all time but he is also known for having been married to the iconic American actress Marilyn Monroe. Joe and Marilyn were together for less than three years. In 1955 the actress left him for American playwright Arthur Miller.

DiMaggio was devastated. He never married again, and never got over his one true love. His last words before he died in 1999 at the age of 84 were: "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."