Gladys Cooper was originally named to play the role of Mrs. St. Maugham (which was eventually played by Dame Edith Evans). Evans, who had originally played the role on stage, very much wanted the movie role and had director Ronald Neame take her to meet producer Ross Hunter at Claridges Hotel. As Evans won the producer over, she got the part.
Although director Ronald Neame wanted Mrs. St. Maugham's house to be seedy and dusty like Miss Havisham's, producer Ross Hunter insisted it be beautifully kept up with great bouquets of flowers in every room.
Joanne Woodward and Sandra Dee were scheduled to star in this movie, but when Woodward became pregnant production was postponed and then re-cast.
Director Ronald Neame found Hayley Mills (Laurel) to be "...too kittenish. She should have been far more dangerous. I also hated the music. The play is filled with epigrams. Every time one was uttered, that crashing music would swell up."