The picture was filmed during 1982 but its theatrical launch in Australia was delayed about a year until 1983.
Reportedly, the picture was allegedly based on real life Sydney underworld crime syndicate gang members Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine who were involved in brothels, razor gangs and sly-grog running during the Roaring Twenties in Sydney, Australia. Their true life feud, fictionalized in this film, later in 2011 also formed the basis of the fourth season of the Australian television crime series Underbelly (2008) known as "Underbelly: Razor".
Then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and then Australian Government Treasurer and later Prime Minister of Australia John Howard visited the set during production.
The name of The Roaring Twenties style night-club was "The Top Hat Club".