The making of Apocalypse Now was such a chaotic mess that its a miracle it even got finished, let alone that it turned out to be a masterpiece. The shoot schedule ballooned from a few months to over a year, with every conceivable setback hitting the production, from bad weather to lead actor Martin Sheen having a heart attack. Sheen himself was a replacement for Harvey Keitel, who Coppola hired after seeing Mean Streets. Keitel had also been in the marines so it seemed like a perfect match; a talented actor and former marine all in one package. Why He Was Fired: It appears to be a genuine case of creative differences this time. Coppola wanted Keitel to play the character as a passive onlooker, which is something the famously intense actor had trouble doing. They disagreed over how Willard should be played, so he was quickly flown home and Sheen - who had been the first choice anyway - was brought on instead.
