The seaside park scenes showing wrought-iron fences were shot in the Parque de Palomas (Pigeon Park) in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, while the black and white film the character of Dizzy shoots is actually footage of Havana, Cuba.
Paquito D'Rivera (played in the film by Jose Zuniga), was one of the first members of Irekire (D'Rivera and Sandoval's band in Cuba) to defect. After his defection, he was signed to a record deal with Columbia Records.