The film was a minor success when it was originally released. It became a well-known cult film in 1989 when it was included in the video Metallica: One (1989). Eventually, the band bought the rights to the film so they could keep showing their music video (and using clips in live performances) without having to pay royalties.
At a very early stage, Dalton Trumbo considered Steve Martin for the role of Joe Bonham. Martin was dating Trumbo's daughter at the time.
Before airing on PBS there was a huge public outcry about the nudity in the film. President Jimmy Carter recorded a special intro to the movie essentially saying the anti-war message was more important than the skin.