This movie was made and released about seven years after the disappearance and alleged death of Juanita Joan Nielsen (22 April 1937 - est. c. July 4, 1975).
Director Phillip Noyce directed this movie after being fired as the director on Force de frappe (1981).
This movie was inspired by the real life disappearance of Juanita Nielsen and her campaign against high-rise developments in Kings Cross, Sydney.
Actress Judy Davis went to work on this movie virtually back-to-back with her previous film Pièges (1981) with barely a week off between projects.