Leading cast members Maximilian Schell and Rod Steiger apparently swapped roles just before production begun.
This picture is ranked at the Number #1 spot in the book "The 50 Greatest Jewish Movies: A Critic's Ranking Of The Very Best" (1998) by Kathryn Bernheimer.
Star Rod Steiger in preparation for his role as Reb Saunders spent about eight hours a day for about two weeks learning the Yiddish language according to an article published in the 29th August 1980 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Daily Variety.'
Cast members, in preparation to play their parts, took part in Hassidic retreats, and studied the Talmud with a Jewish rabbi.
The picture in 1982 was included in the ''Top Ten Films of the Year'' list by the National Board of Review (USA).