Martha Burns's character Phyllis Dietrichson and Michael St. John Smith's character Barton Keyes are both nods to key characters in the classic film noir, Double Indemnity (1944).
The character of David Larabee (Gregory Harrison) is named after the William Holden role in Sabrina.
Several characters in this film were named after characters in films written/directed by Billy Wilder.
The character of Artie Green, played by Ray Abruzzo, is named after a character in Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard that was played by Jack Webb.
The character of Gretchen van Horn is named after a minor character in the film Sabrina.