Ivan Rogers originally wrote the screenplay as "No Way Out". Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation had already used the title (for Sidney Poitier's debut, La porte s'ouvre (1950)) and in a letter dated 20 May 1986 said that it was not prepared to grant a waiver for the use of the title. The following year, Orion Pictures produced L'impasse (1987) starring Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman.
Shot in three weeks.
Shelley Winters and Fred Williamson were both approached to act in this film, but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.