Reportedly, star Robert Redford has said that he literally dragged British producer David Puttnam, who was the CEO of "Columbia Pictures" at the time, to a screening of the film at the Sundance Film Festival. Afterwards, Puttnam then picked-up the picture for distribution.
The production company was aided greatly in its ability to film in and around New Orleans by the state's Film Commission. Shortly after this film (which is about political corruption) premiered, several members of the Film Commission were indicted in a kickback scandal.
Jim Garrison, the judge in Remy's bribery case, was an actual lawyer and judge who worked in New Orleans. He was, for a time, the city's district attorney. A case he had while in that position was the subject of Oliver Stone's film JFK: Tatort Dallas (1991). Garrison was played by Kevin Costner.