The film's script became considerably different from de Vilmorin's short novel, and Ophüls stated that "besides the earrings, there's very little of the novel left in the film... the senselessness of that woman's life." Ophüls spoke privately with Danielle Darrieux between takes throughout the shooting and told her to portray the emptiness of her character. At first Ophüls was too embarrassed to give direction to Vittorio De Sica out of respect for De Sica's work as a director, but the two became friends during the film's production. Darrieux, Charles Boyer and Annenkov had all worked together in 1936 on the film "Mayerling", which was Darrieux's first leading role.