The film stars Dorothy Malone and Errol Flynn (playing his real-life friend and mentor John Barrymore), with Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Ray Danton, Neva Patterson, Murray Hamilton, and Martin Milner.

Frank was a renowned ghostwriter and had previously worked on I'll Cry Tomorrow, a popular book about another alcoholic celebrity, Lillian Roth.

The devastating mental health issues plaguing the Barrymore family is well documented — Diana expands upon her childhood of neglect and the cycle of abuse she suffered throughout her life in her book.

"[7] Although the book was intended to reintroduce Barrymore into the limelight, Diana faced an untimely death in 1960, a meager three years after the publishing.

For example, Hugh Strathmore analyzes the waning days up until her death, and inconsiderately concludes that Diana’s “stubborn pride” and that the fact that she “wouldn’t admit that the hooch had her licked” was what cause her ultimate overdose.

"[9] When the book was published, The New York Times called it "an extremely skillful piece of work, a craftsman's product aimed at a mood and a market that spell big business.

"[10] The Washington Post thought the book "fails to touch the heart even though it spins a recognizably sad story.

[9] There was film interest in the book early on – I'll Cry Tomorrow had been a box office hit and Diana Barrymore had been fictionalised in a popular movie, The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) (the character played by Lana Turner).

[20] Originally, Carroll Baker, who had just made a big impression with Baby Doll (1956) and was under contract to Warners, was to star as Diana.

[26] Finally in August 1957 it was announced Dorothy Malone, who had recently won an Oscar for Written on the Wind would play Diana Barrymore.

Flynn flew back into Hollywood to make the movie and was arrested only a few days later for public drunkenness, stealing an off duty policeman's badge and trying to kiss a girl.

[33] A number of characters in the movie were fictionalised for legal reasons – for instance first husband Bramwell Fletcher was turned into "Vincent Bryant".

[34] Real names were used for her last two husbands, despite their unsympathetic portrayals – John Howard had been arrested on white slavery charges[35][36] and Robert Wilcox was dead.

Gone is most of the endless soiled linen that aggressively flapped through Miss Barrymore's best-selling autobiography – and, with it, it's left wallops, perhaps the book's only real substance... Mr Flynn steals the picture lock, stock and keg.

"[40] The Los Angeles Times called the film a "depressing affair, one that never should have been considered... it doesn't stick to the facts... it is not good storytelling, either in structural form or characterisation... For all his capturing of John's surface mannerisms, some of the physical appearance and, most effortlessly, his way with a bottle, Flynn is not the great profile and great actor of our time.

"[41] The Washington Post called Too Much, Too Soon "a sorry film" in which Errol Flynn's performance "may seem to have at least dazzling vitality, but it's about as dishonest a portrait of the volatile actor as you're likely to find.