Robert De Niro was approached for the role of Andreas Kartak, but he turned down the offer because he was not convinced about the project.
Director Ermanno Olmi cast Rutger Hauer after seeing him play John Ryder in Hitcher (1986). Olmi could not speak English at the time but was impressed with Hauer's facial expressions and the deep-seated emotion he could convey and cast him immediately.
Out if all his roles, this was one of Rutger Hauer's favourites.
Tullio Kezich, who collaborated with Ermanno Olmi on the script, was a famous Italian movie critic and also the most eminent biographer of Federico Fellini.
Originally announced in 1985 for Marcello Mastroianni.