Because the plot of the original story was so elaborate, this adaptation is actually an original story featuring the novel's characters.
The name of lead villainess Vanity Fair is from a city in John Bunyan's novel Pilgrim's Progress (1670s), and was later appropriated for the title of a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray in the 1840s as well as a 20th century fashion magazine.
In a 2024 interview, Eileen Atkins revealed that she was cast at the last minute when Bette Davis became unavailable.