The single largest cost on the movie was for the rain effects throughout the first half of the film.
During filming, members of the cast who weren't required to be on the set certain days would show up anyway to watch the other actors' performances.
Co-star Jack Lemmon said the cast was the greatest acting ensemble he had ever been part of. This is also both director James Foley's and Alec Baldwin's favorite film of their own.
David Mamet based his original play on his own experience working in a real estate office in the 1970s, when he was a struggling playwright. He was the office manager who gave out sales leads and handled the paperwork.
During the production, the actors referred to this film as "Death of a Fuckin' Salesman".