In the nightclub scene, Marlowe (James Garner) takes a sip of wine and smirking, judges it "impertinent. . .even baroque." These were the exact words that a character in Gore Vidal's Myra Breckinridge (published a year earlier) had used to describe Garner's butt in an excerpt from an obtuse film journal that appeared in the novel. Obviously, an inside joke and from Garner's smarmy delivery of what was otherwise a pointless remark, he was very much in on the gag.
The last movie shown on TNT Classic Movies (U.K) on its last day of broadcasting for Europe. (15 October 1999)
The movie's title song, "Little Sister" was originally recorded by New York studio musicians but the producers were not happy with the vocal performance (rumored to be songwriter Norman Gimbel himself). They turned to executives at MGM Records who suggested that members from their newly signed star group, Orpheus, re-record the song. The producers agreed and the Orpheus version was recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York. Only Orpheus lead singer, Bruce Arnold and backup singer, Jack McKenes were on the track since the music had been pre-recorded. However, future Orpheus member and legendary studio musician, Bernard Pretty Purdie, plays drums on the song's backing track.
This is one of only two movies that Bruce Lee did where he speaks with his own natural voice. The other is Enter the Dragon. This is also the only film in which Lee played a villain.
This was the last film broadcast for WABC-TV's (New York) afternoon slot, "The 4:30 Movie", on 26 November 1981.