To add accuracy to the film, an authentic turn-of-the-century cigarette maker was purchased as a prop.
Patricia Neal, who was involved in a three-year off-screen romance with Gary Cooper, very much wanted to play the Lauren Bacall role, but Warners refused to test her.
The technique of bid calling by the auctioneer is not an exaggeration or spoof. Known as a "chant," the speed, rhythm and filler words that comprise bid calling are often developed by the auctioneer, who becomes known for his/her style. The object of the chant is to rivet the bidders' attention, with the filler words allowing an added second or two between bids for the participants to consider a higher bid. Bid calling competitions have been held for decades (through to the present) with prizes awarded for the best chants.
"Bright leaf" tobacco is an actual characterization referring to a milder, lighter and more aromatic tobacco that is processed from light, yellow-green leaves. A national market for the tobacco developed quickly around the time of the Civil War and given that the plants can grow in starved soil, where other crops can't thrive, it became a favorite of growers as well.