The film was nominated for one Academy Award® for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Amy Madigan but lost out to Anjelica Huston for Prizzi's Honor (1985).
The name of the ferry that Harry Mackenzie (Gene Hackman) and Audrey Minelli (Ann-Margret) take a ride on was the ''MV Spokane''. It was was built in Seattle, WA and entered service in 1983. It was named after the indigenous Native American Plateau tribe of the Spokan (or Spokane) people. At the time of this film, she was on the Seattle to Bainbridge Island route across Elliott Bay. As of 2021, she is still in service on the Edmonds-Kingston route. The ferry can transport about 2,000 people and 200 cars on one thirty-minute trip.
The US $8 million budget for the film was announced as going to be financed independently by producer Bud Yorkin according to an article published in the June 5, 1984 issue of show-business trade-paper 'Daily Variety'.
The baseball game that Harry Mackenzie (Gene Hackman) is watching on his 50th birthday was played on June 20, 1984. This suggests that the character was born June 20, 1934.