
The film was shot on location in Sicily in the spring and summer of 1986.

In the DVD commentary of Year of the Dragon, Cimino said he learned a lot from working with Vidal. Vidal sued both screenwriter Steve Shagan and the Writers Guild of America to receive screenplay credit: "I was defrauded of my work." Vidal eventually won the suit against WGA. Gore Vidal did some uncredited rewrite work on the film. To move forward, Begelman and McNall gave Cimino what he wanted with regards to the script and casting. Cimino wanted Christopher Lambert for the lead role and Begelman was concerned about a French actor starring in a film about an Italian hero in an English-speaking film. When producer Bruce McNall met with Cimino at a dinner in Los Angeles, he complained loudly about the script and Begelman's interference with casting. David Begelman, head of Gladden Entertainment at the time, hired Michael Cimino to direct. Silvestro Canioĭue to the huge success of The Godfather, Mario Puzo was given $1 million for the film rights to his novel The Sicilian.

Salvatore Giuliano, an infamous bandit, together with his ragtag band of guerrillas, attempted to liberate early 1950s Sicily from Italian rule and make it an American state. The film also stars Terence Stamp, Joss Ackland, John Turturro and Barbara Sukowa.

Christopher Lambert stars as Salvatore Giuliano, the infamous bandit who tried to liberate early 1950s Sicily from Italian rule. The film was adapted by Steve Shagan and an uncredited Gore Vidal from Mario Puzo's 1984 novel of the same name. The Sicilian is a 1987 epic historical drama film directed and co-produced by Michael Cimino.
