A majority of scenes with the ladies of the Sisterhood of Charity were shot at an abandoned mental health facility in Los Angeles County. It was one of the first mental health wards in California.
The kitchen scenes were shot in North Hollywood at a local church during the night and early morning. Other films shot at this location included Robert De Niro and Sean Penn in We're No Angels (1989).
The freezer scene was not shot in an actual freezer. The freezer was built using aluminum covered styrofoam flats typically used as wall insulation in home building construction.
The role of "Mama" Marta Orleana was written specifically for an actress who spoke fluent Spanish. The character only speaks two sentences in English.
The characters Margaret Devine and Margaret Westin were the inspiration for the name of the production company, "Margaret and Margaret Productions."