The producers wanted to fire Trevor Howard from this movie, due to his alcoholism, but Sarah Miles insisted he should stay.
The BBC television drama, The Happy Valley (1986), covering the same subject matter, was broadcast on September 6, 1987, within the same year of this movie debuting in theaters.
The closing credits legal disclaimer reads: "The story of this film is inspired by events which took place in Kenya in 1940 and 1941. The film does not purport to be an accurate representation of either the characters concerned, or the events that took place."
Many movie posters featured a long blurb that read: "In England they were the elite, but bound by rules of society. In Kenya there were no rules, only glamour, decadence . . . and murder."
Only career nude scene for Jacqueline Pearce. She talked about her audition process for this film in a 1991 TV Zone interview. Her agent had called her saying the producer Mike Radford and casting director Mary Selway wanted to see her, but since the role required nudity, they also wanted to see her naked. Pearce said it was no problem. When she arrived for the audition, all she wore were black stockings, a pair of high heeled shoes, and a full length mink. She walked into Radford's office, dropped the mink, stood before him and Selway stark naked, and said, "What do you think of that lot?" Radford hired her on the spot.
Hugh Grant: As Hugh. (This isn't considered a Cameo, as that is *only* used for uncredited actors, and Grant is listed in the credits.)