Trivia

The scenes featuring the orphanage were filmed at the Northampton State Hospital, an abandoned mental asylum in Northampton, Massachusetts.

One of the attractions of adapting this movie for author John Irving was that he wanted his son, Colin Irving, to play Wally Worthington. However, as the development process took over a decade, eventually his son was too old for the part, and was not known enough to be considered for it in any event. However, the role of Major Winslow did ultimately provide Colin Irving a part in this movie.

Tobey Maguire got the lead role after his best friend Leonardo DiCaprio turned it down.

It was because of this film that director Sam Raimi wanted Tobey Maguire to play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Spider-Man (2002).

Sir Michael Caine used John Huston as the basis for his New England accent.

John Irving: The novel's author plays the St. Cloud stationmaster.