Star Ryô Ikebe had considered his career finished. He had frozen on stage, unable to do his lines and left in public humiliation. When contacted to play the lead, he thought it was a cruel joke. The director, however, felt he could draw on this experience to give the performance of his life, which he did.
The release of this film, originally scheduled for 1963, was held up for nearly a year. Explanations for the delay vary. The movie's co-scenarist, Masaru Baba, apparently complained to the studio, Shochiku, that director Masahiro Shinoda had emphasized visual style at the expense of his more detailed script. Another explanation of the delay is that Japanese authorities were made uncomfortable by the movie's scenes of high-stakes (and illegal) gambling using "flower cards", which were filmed in great detail and in a way that they felt glorified this activity.
The car driven by Saeko is a 1959 Floride Convertible from Renault, with rear-wheel drive, a rear-located engine, and a 2-door convertible/cabriolet body style.
This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #564.