Bette Davis as the covetous widow Mrs Van Schuyler was in her 70th year and her 86th film role when she made this film. She described the Academy Award winning costume designer Anthony Powell as 'a genius'. Powell's ideas for the film were clear. 'The film is set in the mid-thirties...and for the purpose of the designs has a 'Never Never Land' feel about it. All the characters have enough money to take a luxury cruise down the Nile at that time. I wanted them to be seen clearly with that sort of wealth and luxury at their disposal...The designs switch a little forward and backward in their exact date to fit the character...'