Martin Scorsese was originally set to direct, but dropped out. In fact, it was Scorsese who recruited screenwriter Richard Price to write a draft. According to an interview with Neal Gabler, Price said, "He (Scorsese) felt like he had already 'done' (Night in the City) in all his other films. There was no challenge for him." It would be another six years before producer and director Irwin Winkler and Robert De Niro became interested in making the film.
This was the first of two films written by Richard Price that Martin Scorsese left the helm as director. The second film was Clockers (1995), in which Scorsese turned over the project to Spike Lee, so he could instead direct Casino (1995).
This movie was the Closing Night Film at the New York Film Festival in 1992.
The movie's closing credits dedication states: "Dedicated to Jules Dassin", who was the director of the first adaptation, Night and the City (1950).
Vincent Pastore: In the first scene in the boxing gym, you can spot him more than once in the background behind Robert De Niro. He is in street clothes with a big cigar in his mouth "sparring" with a boxer.