Holy Smoke!

Kate Winslet has stated in interviews that working on this film led to a humorous incident where Harvey Keitel wanted to improvise to create more intimacy between their two characters. Keitel proceeded to get on the floor and act like a dog, asking Winslet to be his owner who was helping him to die. Winslet initially took it as a joke, but once she realized Keitel was serious she carried on with it just as he asked.

When at first Ruth is in the middle of a circle of her relatives, she has a jewel in the middle of her forehead. Then the jewel disappears for a while and then reappears for the remainder of the scene.

The sex scene between Keitel and Winslet has been trimmed in the U.S version. On the Australian VHS and DVD, Keitel is seen putting himself between Winslet's legs and reaching down to his crotch before thrusting. As they are making love, Winslet says "Don't come, don't come", then there is the sound of Keitel doing so. He stops, and Winslet moans for a bit before the film cuts to the next scene. In the U.S version, they trim Keitel getting in-between her legs and reaching for his crotch. The scene plays out as normal just until Keitel "comes" and the sound of Winslet moaning is also trimmed. The U.S version also misses some of the thrusting and related sounds.

Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Beach/Snow Day/Holy Smoke (2000)