The movie was adapted by Alfred Uhry from his stage play, and was directed by Bruce Beresford.
It won Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Jessica Tandy), Best Makeup, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Morgan Freeman), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Dan Aykroyd), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration. Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing.