To reach high authenticity the whole crew crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Spain to America in three original ships provided by the Spanish government.
The project was concurrently developed with Ridley Scott's 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) to be released on time for the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America.
It has been alleged that cast and crew did not receive any salaries because of funding problems
Timothy Dalton pulled out of playing the lead.
'Rachel Ward' stepped into the role of Queen Isabella when Isabella Rossellini walked away from the film.
Even before its release, Marlon Brando was asking that his name be removed from the credits. According to "Variety", Brando was upset that the film failed to portray Columbus' complicity in the genocide of Native Americans.
'George Corraface' inherited his leading role from Timothy Dalton three days before filming began.
Producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind's first choice for director was Ridley Scott. Four months after rejecting their offer, Scott started working on a rival Christopher Columbus project which ultimately became 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992). As a consequence of this, the Salkinds unsuccessfully tried to sue Scott for stealing their idea. They were forced to drop their lawsuit when it was proved that "1492"s producer Alain Goldman and writer Roselyne Bosch's first proposal of a Christopher Columbus project predated theirs.
According to "Variety", Marlon Brando was paid $5 million for his cameo as Torquemada. Over 10 years earlier, Brando had set an industry record when producer "Christopher Columbus" producer Ilya Salkind had paid him $3.7 million for 12 days work on Superman (1978) against a percentage of the gross. That deal yielded Brando $14 million, though he had to sue the producer to get it. It was widely suspected that Brando took the role to raise money to pay for the defense of his son 'Christian Brando' , who had been indicted on murder charges after shooting his sister Cheyenne's lover 'Dag Drollett" .
Christopher Columbus:
[to the Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor] I recall our blessed Lord said: here is a new commandment I give to you. That you love one another as I loved you. Surely it is not blasphemy to take that message to the shores of Africa or across the ocean sea.
Christopher Columbus:
You said my faith would light my way, yet all I see before me is a sea of darkness. Why your highness has God forsaken me?
Version of
Christopher Columbus (1949)
Alba de América (1951)
"Christopher Columbus" (1985) (mini)
1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
References
St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
Referenced in
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)