It is a fictionalised and sexually explicit treatment of a 1936 murder committed by Sada Abe. An international coproduction between Japanese and French companies, the film generated great controversy at the time of its release. The film had the involvement of pink film luminary Kōji Wakamatsu as co-screenwriter and assistant producer. While intended for mainstream wide release, the film contains scenes of unsimulated sexual activity between the actors. The film belongs to the romance/thriller genre.