Anecdotes

This was originally slated to be Steven Spielberg's first theatrical feature and he spent over two months on pre-production. He then decided he did not want to do this film and quit to go do La folle course vers Sugarland (1974).

Uncredited film debut of Laura Dern. She can be seen in a few scenes as Maggie's blond-haired daughter. Maggie is played by her real-life mother, Diane Ladd.

Selected by Quentin Tarantino for the first Quentin Tarantino Film Fest in Austin, Texas, 1996.

Reunites actors Burt Reynolds and Ned Beatty, who previously starred in Délivrance (1972).

Gator's car is a 1971 Ford LTD Galaxy 500 with a 429ci engine, and a four-speed transmission and it is rigged for speed. It was one of two he drove; the other was an automatic.