Reportedly, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones disliked each other and did not get along during production.
Apparently, director Martin Ritt once said that he blamed the failure of this picture on its screenplay, and Tommy Lee Jones' and Sally Field's inability to get along and work well together.
First of two films featuring Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones. The second was in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln (2012). Both Field and Jones were both Oscar-nominated for supporting roles in this later historical film, but neither won an Academy Award for this later picture, which debuted about 31 years after Back Roads (1981).
On the 29th January 2013 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) [See: Episode #10.91 (2013)], Sally Field revealed that co-star Tommy Lee Jones had many years later run into her at an event and apologized for their disputes during the making of this movie. They then later both appeared in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln (2012) and both were Oscar (Academy Award) nominated in supporting acting categories for the picture.
Tommy Lee Jones was eventually cast after Martin Ritt saw his performance in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980).