Universal Pictures purchased the filming rights for The Lonely Lady in 1975, one year before the novel was published, hoping to release the adaptation in 1976 [REF].
Principal photography began on June 14, 1982 at a villa near Rome, where various Los Angeles landmarks and architecture were constructed, from the exterior of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to local supermarkets, although some exterior photography was also planned for Los Angeles [REF].