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It was only because President Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia was a huge movie fan that he allowed the film to be made in his country. His Russian counterparts were less pleased, as the film is openly critical of the pogroms.
Final film of Norma Crane; she was suffering from breast cancer during production, and died less than 2 years later.
Director Norman Jewison was brought into the project by executives at United Artists who thought he was Jewish. His first words to the executives upon meeting them were, "You know I'm not Jewish, right?"
The "Sunrise, Sunset" scene was not lit by electric light but by hundreds of candles.
The film was a surprise hit in Japan, where its obvious love for crumbling tradition struck a chord with Japanese audiences.
The cart-horse, nicknamed "Shmuel" by the cast, was purchased from a lot destined for a Zagreb glue factory. After production Norman Jewison paid a local farmer to keep him for the rest of his natural life, which was another three years.
Sammy Bayes: the Assistant Choreographer is one of the Ukrainian dancers. The men dancing gopak (hopak) traditional Ukrainian dance.