Blake Edwards disowned the final film due to constant studio interference. He originally planned to leave the project during production, but after MGM threatened to destroy his career, he finished filming and quit the day production ended.
Based on a novel entitled 'A Case of Need', published in 1968 and credited to Jeffrey Hudson. Decades later, Hudson was revealed to be a pseudonym for Michael Crichton.
Blake Edwards and his family had been living in England for several years, which is why his daughter Jennifer (who plays Lydia) speaks with a mild British accent.
There is no character called Dr. Peter Carey in the original novel. In addition, the credited screenwriter is James P. Bonner, which is a pseudonym covering the identities of at least three writers, whilst the original novelist, Jeffrey Hudson, was actually a pseudonymous Michael Crichton.