Christian Bale was selected out of more than 4,000 who auditioned. Steven Spielberg had seen Bale in Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (1986), and Amy Irving, who starred in it, personally recommended Bale to Spielberg, her then-husband. Spielberg hadn't thought much of Bale in the miniseries, but cast him in the role of Jim after he auditioned.
The B-29 bomber which passes by in a short scene was a gigantic radio-controlled model. It had operating undercarriage, bomb doors and flaps, and a wing span of 18 feet. Six radio receivers in the plane and two transmitters were used to control the plane.
The movie's Japanese Zero fighters are American-built Harvard trainers, modified to look like the Zero.
"Suo Gân", the movie's theme song, is a lullaby sung in Welsh. Director Steven Spielberg chose it after casting Welsh actor Christian Bale as Jim. It was sung by James Rainbird.