Tony Scott was originally slated to direct, but the studio balked because at the time they felt he was not accomplished enough to pull off the project. He would go on to direct the second adaptation Man on Fire (2004).
Producer Arnon Milchan wanted Sergio Leone to direct Robert De Niro, while Tony Scott wanted either Marlon Brando or Robert Duvall as his leading man when he was slated to direct.
The main musical theme in this movie is used as a music cue in Die Hard (1988) when Holly and John McClane walk out of the building.
This reunites several stars from previous Arnon Milchan productions; Danny Aiello and Joe Pesci from Once Upon a Time in America (1984), and Jonathan Pryce from Brazil (1985).