At one point, Lucille visits Leo in prison and tells him, "Seems like we spend the best part of our time just saying goodbye." This line is almost identical to Angela's line to George when she visits him in prison for the last time in Un posto al sole (1951), which was directed by George Stevens, the father of this film's co-writer and producer, George Stevens Jr..
The same true story was told in the Tony-award-winning Broadway musical "Parade."
Jack Lemmon and Kevin Spacey also appeared in Lungo viaggio verso la notte (1987), Dad - Papà (1989), and Americani (1992).
Kevin Spacey and Peter Gallagher also appeared in American Beauty (1999) and Lungo viaggio verso la notte (1987). The latter film also stars Jack Lemmon.
The film cast includes two performers of the character Shelley "The Machine" Levene from Glengarry Glen Ross. Robert Prosky played Shelley in the original run of the play in 1984 and Jack Lemmon in the film version Americani (1992).