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The film's two leads, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones, were very well known to audiences from appearing on the British comedy television series Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979).
To receive a PG certificate the film was extensively re-edited by the distributor, and the finished product was then cut further by the BBFC to remove cocaine footage and references. In total 6 minutes 10 secs were edited from the film.
The original title was "Illegal Aliens."
Mike Hodges directed this movie on the condition that the production company Thorn EMI, would finance his script "Mid-Atlantic", which didn't get off the ground.
Director Mike Hodges felt the film would have benefited from writer/actors Smith and Jones taking the process more seriously.