Director Luchino Visconti intended the title roles to be played by Alain Delon and Romy Schneider. But Delon was under long-term contract, and the $1,000,000 that his producers wanted to release him was considered too much; and Schneider was pregnant at the time, so Visconti had to work with Laura Antonelli, and the little-known Giancarlo Giannini.