The plot is based on the real-life story of the arrest of Peter Kroger and his wife in the 1950s. They were an American couple, who claimed to be Canadian, living in the London suburbs who were revealed as having spied for Russia for many years. Their arrest and trial, along with those of other spies, caused a sensation in Britain at that time.
The original Broadway production of "Pack of Lies" opened at the Royale Theater in New York City on February 11, 1985, and ran for 120 performances. Rosemary Harris was nominated for the 1985 Tony Award for Actress in a Drama. Hugh Whitemore wrote the stage play and the teleplay.
Hugh Whitemore adapted his script for this TV movie and his stage play of the same name from an original television play, "Act Of Betrayal," which he wrote for the BBC at the beginning of the 1970s.
The character of Julie, in real-life, is the television journalist Gay Search, best known for her work on gardening shows in the U.K.