The film was so well received in Europe after numerous press and distributor screenings, that Director James B. Harris was invited to attend the prestigious "Directors Fortnight" at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and present the film. In Europe, this movie was welcomed with open arms and hailed as an artful drama. In the United States, the critics were not as kind, labelling the film a curious oddity. The picture quickly faded from screens, due to the negative word of mouth, and lack of release. Since its initial release in the U.S., however, it has garnered a respectable cult following.
Richard Pryor was broke and Writer, Producer, and Director James B. Harris had to pay for his flight to Los Angeles to get him to the set.
The van that Robert Troy (Zalman King) drove, belonged to King.
During production, the film was briefly called "Never Call It Loving".