Ava Gardner says in her autobiography that she did not like the film. But she had to play in it because of her contract with MGM.
This film was a success at the box office, earning MGM a profit of $340,000 according to studio records.
First American film for Italian actor Walter Chiari. Director and producer Mark Robson signed him to a five-picture deal after his performance in this film.
As part of the promotion for the film, MGM created an international limerick contest, offering a small island in the Fiji Islands, newly renamed Ava-Ava, as a prize. The winner, Kent Shelby, moved to the island; however, according to a May 20, 1974 People interview, Shelby was forced to move off the uninhabited island after MGM removed the furnishings and the servant provided for him upon his arrival.