On 7 Aug 1968, Var announced that actor Paul Newman and former agency executive John Foreman had teamed up to produce A Hall of Mirrors, based on Robert Stone’s 1966 novel of the same name, which they purchased for $50,000. For an additional $60,000, Stone agreed to adapt his work for the screen, and Stuart Rosenberg later signed on to direct. Although an 8 Aug 1968 DV news item referred to the independent company’s deal with Universal Pictures, the film moved to Paramount Pictures and began casting early the following year.
       With Newman and wife Joanne Woodward already committed to appear in the leading roles, the 20 Feb 1969 DV reported that they would be joined by Anthony Franciosa. However, a 2 Apr 1969 DV item announced Franciosa’s departure—a story confirmed five days later by an LAT article claiming he had lost the job after getting into an argument with Rosenberg. Meanwhile, the 17 Mar 1969 DV indicated Anthony Perkins had been hired for the third principal role.
       Additional LAT and DV casting announcements throughout the spring and early summer included the following actors whose participation could not be determined, or may have been uncredited: Lou Gossett, Bill Holliday, Lorna Thayer, John Mitchum, Margie Welling, Maritza Ko, Sharri Zak, Helen Kleeb, Owen Bush, Jack Pepper, Greg Martin, Herman Boden, Joe Paz , John Marlin, Dian Myles, Ron Nyman, Rhodie Cogan, and Frank Radcliff. The 22 May 1969 edition of the Los Angeles Sentinel also noted that Playboy “Bunnies” Gwen Wong, Syleste Holt, Donna Russell, and Christin Holly (all members of the Screen Actors Guild) served as background performers in a scene shot on a sound stage reproduction of the local Playboy Club in New Orleans, LA.
       According to an 11 Apr 1969 DV production chart, principal photography began in New Orleans on 3 Apr 1969. After several days on location, the cast and crew returned to the Paramount studio lot in Hollywood, CA, by mid-Apr 1969. A 21 Apr 1969 DV brief indicated that filming took place simultaneously on Stages 6 and 7. Later that summer, however, multiple contemporary sources, including the 23 Jun 1969 DV, once again placed Newman and Woodward on location in New Orleans. Production was completed shortly thereafter, and a 10 Dec 1969 Var article revealed the finished film was awaiting release.
       Several months later, the 29 Apr 1970 Var stated that Paramount had tested the picture for audiences in Boston, MA, under the title WUSA, which was intended to capitalize on the recent influx of release titles containing abbreviations or acronyms. The change stuck, and the Thanksgiving 1970 release date was pushed up by a few weeks. New York City screenings began 1 Nov 1970 at the Penthouse and Palaza theaters, followed by an exclusive West Coast engagement at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on 4 Nov 1970. The 9 Jan 1971 LAT announced that citywide expansion across Los Angeles area was due to take place on 20 Jan 1971.
       At the time of its theatrical release, reviews for WUSA were generally negative, and Newman told the 24 Nov 1971 Var that he was disappointed by its commercial returns in the U.S., calling it a “flop.” He hoped its controversial subject matter would play better with foreign audiences, and the picture was included in that year’s London Film Festival lineup.