This film's opening prologue states: "Under Section 27A of the Queensland Mental Health Act a prisoner may be transferred from a Prison to a Mental Institution and held there beyond the original sentence, indefinitely".
This film is based on a true story.
Robert McDarra portrays an alcoholic in this film. Reportedly, McDarra was an alcoholic himself. McDarra won the 1974 Australian Film Institute (AFI) Award for Best Actor for his performance in this film. The film also won the AFI Golden Reel Award for Best Film.
Robert McDarra died in December 1975. This film's director, Esben Storm, dedicated his next film, In Search of Anna (1978), to him.
Esben Storm conceived this film when reading a newspaper article in about 1972. The story told of an alcoholic who was imprisoned indefinitely under Queensland's Act 27a until such a person could prove they were fit to re-enter the community. A barrister at law took on the case to fight for the man's rights.