This was the fifth time that Michel Serrault was the lead character for a French crime drama inspired from British crime novels.
Pile Ou Face from Alfred Harris; Garde A Vue from John Wrainwright; A Mort L'Arbitre from Alfred Draper; Mortelle Randonnée from Marc Behm; On Ne Meurt Que Deux Fois from Robin Cook.
According to producer and friend Norbert Saada in Norbert Saada, producteur de légendes (2023) (2023), Alain Delon refused the part as gave up mid way while reading the script.