The fictional "America Building" where the movie takes place is a spoof of the real Martinelli Building in downtown São Paulo. Just like it's fictional counterpart, the building was made by an Italian immigrant in the 1930s, was the first skyscraper in the city and the tallest for years, finished in marble and other noble materials, rich in architectural details. Also like in the movie, it was decadent and semi-abandoned for a period (in the 1960s). The city administration took over the building and recovered it, now a tourist attraction.