According to actor Zeljko Ivanek, the fish sermon scene was shot 15 times from three different angles. Although Ivanek considers the last take the best, most of it didn't make the final cut because it was too emotionally jarring for the audience.
Third and final cinema movie of director Glenn Jordan. The other two theatrical feature films were The Buddy System (1984) and Only When I Laugh (1981). Jordan predominantly worked in television.
Second of three films that actors Jack Lemmon and Charles Durning both worked on. The other movies were The Front Page (1974) and The Grass Harp (1995). The three pictures were each separated by around a decade.
Some movie posters for this film featured a long text preamble that read: "Father Timothy Farley has always preached about miracles. Now he has to perform one. For years, he had everything he could ever ask for. The love of his parishioners. The respect of his superiors. And the smoothest golf swing in his district. Then, the Church sent him someone he didn't ask for - a rebellious young deacon named Dolson. And he's been given just one month to whip him into shape. MASS APPEAL. Somewhere between laughter and tears, they found something to believe in".
The movie is based on a play originally produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, directed by Jack Dolgen and starring Milo O'Shea as Tim Farley and Eric Roberts as Mark Dolson. It opened at the off-Broadway Stage 73 on April 22, 1980 and ran for 104 performances. O'Shea was nominated for a Tony for his role.