According to the American Film Institute's AFI Catalog, ''thirteen-year-old newcomer Jason Presson earned critical praise for his performance in the title role, receiving a prize from the Academy of Family Films and Family TV, a Best Actor nomination from Youth In Film, and a four-picture deal at Paramount Pictures. When Twentieth Century-Fox elected not to promote the picture for the Academy Awards, Jason's father, Ron Presson, organized a campaign for his son's nomination, financing screenings and full-page advertisements in the trades. Presson clarified in a 17 Feb 1985 LAT editorial that he did not publicize whether the role was for 'Best Actor' or 'Best Supporting Actor', believing the performance could qualify for either category. Despite these efforts, however, no Oscar nomination resulted.''
First American/Hollywood feature film lensed by Spanish cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchía.
Robert Duvall and Frederic Forrest have also both appeared in La conversazione (1974), Apocalypse Now (1979), Colomba solitaria (1989), Un giorno di ordinaria follia (1993) and the documentary Viaggio all'inferno (1991).
The film cast includes one Oscar winner - Robert Duvall - and three Oscar nominees - Glenn Close, Frederic Forrest and Tom Waits.
The movie's budget was reportedly US $2.5 million and was financed from four private sector investors according to an article published in the 11th April 1984 edition of 'The Los Angeles Times' newspaper. They were: (1) A Baltimore Subaru Car Dealership Owner in Maryland (2) A Houston Banker in Texas (3) A Detroit Real Estate Agent in Michigan and (4) A Los Angeles Film Exhibitor in California.