The movie was adapted by Richard Price from the novel by Walter Tevis. It was directed by Martin Scorsese.

Note: this movie is rated 'R'.

It won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Paul Newman) and was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

Newman's role was a reprisal of his same character in The Hustler.

Most of the trick pool shots were performed by Cruise.

Martin Scorsese's voice can be heard at the beginning of the film, when he is explaining the 9-ball.

Tom Cruise did all the trick shots himself, except for the one in which he had to jump two balls to sink another. Scorsese didn't mind letting Cruise learn the shot, but he said it would cost too much and it would take two days. Thus, the shot was performed by professional player Mike Sigel.

There were many 80s top pool players who were part of the cast. Some of them included: Steve Mizerak, Jimmy Mataya, Keith McCready.

According to Paul Newman, the best advice he got from Martin Scorsese was: "Try NOT to be funny."

John Carmack of id Software admitted that he got his world-famous game Doom (1993) name from Tom Cruise's answer on what he carries in his cue-case: "Doom."