理查德·弗莱舍反复拒绝迪诺·德·劳伦蒂斯的导演指挥这部电影。 当他意识到制作电影的最好方法是直接拍摄它，并尽可能真实地讲述故事时，他终于放弃了。

  Richard Fleischer repeatedly turned down Dino De Laurentiis' overtures to direct the film. He ultimately relented when he realized that the best way to make the film was to shoot it straight and tell the story as truthfully as he could.