Richard Burton met with the real Josip Broz Tito, whom he greatly admired, and agreed to play him in a favorable light in this film.
All of Richard Burton's scenes were filmed in the summer and autumn of 1971, although he was required to film some additional scenes in January 1972.
Richard Burton's voice was dubbed by famous Serbian actor Petar Banicevic (Peter Banichevich).
Hardy Krüger filmed scenes but does not appear in the final cut. Richard Burton's diary (a hostile source, as Burton vocally disliked his German colleague) records Krüger's clashes with script doctor Wolf Mankowitz to enlarge his part, and a frustrated Mankowitz calling him "the Nazi Tab Hunter". Krüger had been drafted into the SS when he was 16, but after World War II was a dedicated anti-fascist.
Role of Josip Broz Tito was offered to Kirk Douglas, Peter O'Toole, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman before Richard Burton.