Danny Peary in his book "Guide for the Film Fanatic" (1987) states "not many people paid attention to the film upon release" while Richard Schickel in his book "Clint: A Retrospective" (2012) states that this movie in theaters "came and went virtually without notice". In a later interview, Eastwood would blame Universal for not marketing this film correctly, leading it to be a flop at the box office - even with its relatively low budget of only $750,000.
This Clint Eastwood directed movie is, according to the DVD sleeve notes, "personally remembered as one of his favorite films."
When William Holden and Kay Lenz stroll along the beach boardwalk, a person they are passing who leans over the balustrade is Director Clint Eastwood.
William Holden was cast in this movie having formerly been a leading man in such Hollywood romance movies of the 1950s as Sabrina (1954), The Moon Is Blue (1953), and Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955). Publicity for this film stated that it continued the "Holden Romantic Tradition".
Kay Lenz was cast after Producer Robert Daley and Director Clint Eastwood saw Lenz in the television Movie-of-the-Week, The Weekend Nun (1972).