The burning of the old mill at the end of this movie was done for real. The mill was an ancient landmark in the area which the movie company purchased specifically for the purpose of destroying it by fire. Although the mill had long fallen into disuse, local people strongly protested this action, as did journalists, but to no avail.
This movie was originally offered to Director Ken Russell, who turned the project down. David Greene, a successful television director, took it on because, in his late forties, he thought it a last chance to get away from television and into movies. He was, however, greatly dissatisfied with the script, and it was being re-written right up to the end of filming.
William Devlin's part was entirely dubbed by an uncredited Donald Sutherland.
Filmed in England.
This movie was made on a budget of one hundred eighty thousand pounds sterling.