Sophia Loren's younger sister Maria Scicolone was married to Benito Mussolini's son Romano Mussolini from 1962 to 1971. Maria and Romano's daughter Alessandra Mussolini plays Maria Luisa, one of the daughters of her aunt's (Sophia Loren) character Antonietta.
The song heard in the background for most of the latter part of the film is the "Horst Wessel Lied" which translates into "Horst Wessel Song". This was the official anthem of the Nazi party 1930-1945. In 1933 this song became a second National Anthem for Germany. The song is banned in both Germany and Austria since the end of the Second World War.
First and only cinematographic experience for Italian actor Vittorio Guerrieri, who revealed that he had never met Marcello Mastroianni on set as he shot his own scenes on his own.
This was Italy's official submission to the 50th Academy Awards as Best Foreign Language Film.