Director Sam Peckinpah was in ill-health throughout the shoot. The long-term toll of his drug and alcohol abuse suggested to many in the production that he was dying. Peckinpah would go off and take opportune naps, but still completed and delivered his initial cut of this movie on time, despite sickness and exhaustion.
Several cast members who worked on this movie, such as Sir John Hurt, Dennis Hopper, and Burt Lancaster, took lower salaries, so they could work with legendary Director Sam Peckinpah.
No damage, special effects, or action work was meant to be done at Robert Taylor's former ranch residence, the filming location for the house seen in the movie. But the production just went ahead, and shot out windows, conducted a poolside shoot-out, and damaged the swimming pool.
Before filming began, Sam Peckinpah insisted that he use actors and actresses that he worked with previously, such as James Coburn. Producers Peter S. Davis and William N. Panzer balked at the idea, and Peckinpah finally agreed to the cast that was chosen.
The mustache that Craig T. Nelson wore throughout this movie was glued on. Sam Peckinpah apparently hated it, and would rib Nelson constantly about it during the shoot.