Filmography Wild Wild West Special government agent James West (Smith), long on charm and wit, and special government agent Artemus Gordon (Kline), a master of disguises and a brilliant inventor of gadgets large and small, are each sent to track down the diabolical genius Dr. Arliss Loveless (Branagh). Loveless is plotting to assassinate the President of the United States with the aid of his monstrously huge walking weapon-transport vehicle called The Tarantula. Special government agent James West (Smith), long on charm and wit, and special government agent Artemus Gordon (Kline), a master of disguises and a brilliant inventor of gadgets large and small, are each sent to track down the diabolical genius Dr. Arliss Loveless (Branagh). Loveless is plotting to assassinate the President of the United States with the aid of his monstrously huge walking weapon-transport vehicle called The Tarantula. US release date: July 2nd, 1999. Trailers: Click Here Studio: Columbia Pictures. Genre: Action, Comedy, Western Director: Barry Sonnenfeld. Screenwriter(s): Jim Thomas, John Thomas. Budget: $150,000,000 (estimated.) US Boxoffice: $113,745,408 (US total.) Starring: Kevin Kline Salma Hayek Kenneth Branagh Bai Ling M. Emmet Walsh Also starring: Ron Silver, Nona Gaye, Barry Shabaka Henley, Mykelti Williamson, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Shabaka Henley and more. Did you know? (info taken from imdb.com) Originally, the lead roles were going to be played by Morgan Freeman and Robert Redford. But, after careful consideration, Redford decided that the movie would work better with a younger men playing Rannulph Junuh, and Bagger Vance. At an official $150 million (unofficial $180 million) it stands as the most expensive movie produced by Warner Bros. and the most expensive movie released in 1999. When this film swept the 20th Annual Razzie Awards, "winning" 5 statuettes including Worst Picture, Robert Conrad, who played James West in the original 1960s TV series, accepted three of the awards in person as his way of expressing his low opinion of what had been done with his source material. The film underwent costly re-shoots in an attempt to inject some humor after it was found that test audiences weren't sure if it was supposed to be a comedy. When Kenneth Branagh was in an articulated metal platform as Dr. Loveless, he actually was seated in the device in a kneeling position. He would have to get up every few minutes and walk around to get the circulation back in his legs, as they would continually go numb from being in that position for an extended period. In the first panoramic shot of Washington, D.C., the dome of the capitol building is seen still under construction during the administration of President U.S. Grant, after the Civil War. The dome was in fact completed in 1864, in time for the second Lincoln inauguration in March 1865. back