Filmed as a gothic movie under the title of "Katarsis" in 1963. Its production company, I Films della Mangusta, went bankrupt shortly after filming. The movie, which was about 90 minutes long, was bought by Eco Film, which cut out a half-hour and added newly shot scenes involving gangsters, a monk and a cabaret dancer. The finished product was 78 minutes long, retitled "Challenge the Devil" and released in 1965.
The movie's working title was "Faust '63" due to director Giuseppe Veggezzi being influenced by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's play "Faust".