Sir Roger Moore requested to have fewer lines in his scenes with Richard Burton and Richard Harris. This kind of request was almost unheard of from a major star. His reasoning was, "You don't seriously expect me to act against these guys?"
The producers originally wanted Burt Lancaster for the role of Rafer Janders, but when he began submitting alterations to the script to give his character the central role, he was replaced with Richard Harris. Lancaster claimed to have turned the part down because he felt the movie was "inferior".
The movie's European premiere in London was marred by demonstrations by anti-Apartheid protesters, angry that this movie had been shot in South Africa with the cooperation of the then white government there. They were also angry at the reported negative portrayal of black Africans, although none of the protesters had seen this movie to verify this for themselves. The producers handed out to the crowds copies of favorable reviews in the Soweto Times, the largest circulation black newspaper in South Africa, but these were thrown away by the demonstrators.
51-year-old Richard Burton was in poor health during filming, and found the more physical scenes very difficult.
Sir Michael Caine turned down the role of Janders because he refused to work in South Africa during Apartheid.