Based on a real life story, "Castle of Purity (criminal case)". Brought to light by the press on July 25th 1959.
Legendary Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky is a fan of this film and even used the in door rain look achieved by cinematographer Alex Phillips in his last film, The Sacrifice (1986).
The Spanish director Luis Buñuel was originally thought of to director this film before Mexican auteur Arturo Ripstein eventually did.