Director Nikolai van der Heyde sent many letters to Barbara Hershey, practically begging to play the lead in his picture. When she finally agreed, she took her then boyfriend David Carradine with her, who used the opportunity to do research for his planned picture about the life of Mata Hari.
When Barbara Hershey agreed to participate in this film, she was six months pregnant and so Nikolai van der Heyde rewrote his screenplay to suit her condition.
Grandfather and grandmother of Doutzen Kroes play roles as extra's. Grandfather is the doctor and Grandmother as the farmer's wife teaching Barbra Hersley cleaning with sand.