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 Attack Force Z (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 Hoodwink (1981) with barely a week off between projects.