Jack Nicholson appeared in this film mainly as a favor to director Henry Jaglom. Nicholson did the film for no pay, his only demand was that he be given a new color television set.
Opinion about this film was so divided when it was shown at the 1971 New York Film Festival that the audience broke out into shouting matches which nearly led to a brawl.
The image of Orson Welles as 'The Magician' peeking from behind a rainbow picture was the inspiration for the name of Henry Jaglom's production company Rainbow Films. The scene is used during the opening credits of all of Jaglom's features under this production house banner.
Writer Anaïs Nin said of this film: ''...'A Safe Place' is a masterpiece! All the subtle dreams and fantasies which color our experience are captured on film for the first time. Henry Jaglom is the magician of America Cinema!".
This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #548.