While the film was well received by the public and the cinematic community, there was controversy in the literary community over the fact that the film made Micòl's relationship with Malnate explicit. This alteration changed the tone of the work, and tainted Micòl's persona. It led to Giorgio Bassani attempting to distance himself from Vittorio de Sica's work.
Nine people, including the original novel's author, worked on the screenplay (including Vittorio De Sica and Franco Brussati) but only two men, Ugo Pirro and Vittorio Bonicelli, were allowed to take credit and be nominated for the Oscar for Best Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium.
One of composer Bill Conti's first assignments was writing the film's score with Manuel de Sica, although only Sica received credit.
The film was a personal triumph for 'Vittorio de Sica', a director who had struggled to have a hit since Marriage Italian Style (1964).