Trivia

Initially planned as a grand-scale spectacular drama with Jeanne Moreau to play the lead, then Catherine Deneuve (then having an affair with François Truffaut) was considered for the role. The film took 7 years to be made, and finally Truffaut decided on Isabelle Adjani whom he noticed on a TV broadcast of the Comédie Française.

In 1988, Isabelle Adjani played the title role in Camille Claudel (1988), playing another historical character who suffered from schizophrenia. A major scene in that movie depicts the announcement of the death of Victor Hugo, Adele Hugo's father.

Gitlis (as the hypnotist) dismisses his Chinese assistant so he can discuss in private with Adele. He allegedly talks to her in Chinese, but actually tells her in Hebrew to get lost.

The film is based on true facts.

Isabelle Adjani was only 20 years old when she was Oscar-nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for "The Story of Adele H.," the youngest ever nominated in the Lead category at that time - a record which would stand for the next 27 years until 2002 when Keisha Castle-Hughes was Oscar-nominated in the same category for "Whale Rider." Castle-Hughes was only 12 years old.

François Truffaut: as an officer Adele mistakes for Pinson in Halifax.