10 Times Actors And Directors Disagreed On Their Film's Story

The 1972 Werner Herzog-directed historical epic may have garnered a mixed reception in West Germany but it has grown to become a cult-classic and source of inspiration for filmmakers such as Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese.

That said, Herzog and lead actor Klaus Kinski infamously did not get along and this was largely due to Kinski's perception of his titular character vastly differing with what Herzog had in mind. The director wanted the lead to be a subdued but intimidating character but Kinski wanted an aggressive persona defined by chaos (this was particularly as their choices for the character reflected their real-life personas).

In addition to this, Kinski would often ignore Herzog's instructions and even threatened to quit the film on multiple occasions. Eventually, Herzog became fed up with the actor's tirades and at one point threatened to shoot Kinski after the latter once again claimed that he would leave. This eventually got the hot-headed thespian to settle down and complete the film.

Conventional wisdom would suggest Kinski and Herzog never worked again, but the dynamic duo made four more films together, each fraught with their own issues. Years after the actor's passing, Herzog made a documentary centered on their relationship called My Best Fiend.