The crew refused to shoot a scene because there wasn't enough sunlight. Director José Mojica Marins forced them to shoot the scene by pointing a gun at the cameraman. Various crew members have confirmed the story. On one of the rare occasions when he would respond to questions about the incident, Marins claimed that the gun was only a prop.
The movie became such a hit in Brazil that one theatre in downtown Sao Paulo played it for four months.
With the exception of two exterior scenes, the entire movie was shot inside a 600 square foot studio in São Paulo.
Some of the crew were arrested when they were discovered chopping down trees in a park in downtown São Paulo. The trees were being used as part of the set on the soundstage.