The practice of trying members of the British gentry before their peers was put to a stop in 1946, six years after this movie was made.
In a 1991 interview, Robert Montgomery's daughter Elizabeth Montgomery stated that this was her favorite of her father's films.
Producer Victor Saville had already directed some location footage in London especially for O Conde de Chicago (1940) prior to the Denham studio's closure prior to the decision was made to film the picture at M-G-M's main studio in Culver City, CA, some of which were incorporated into the final print.
According to articles in the contemporary press, David O. Selznick owned the film rights to the novel and planned to have Edward G. Robinson as the lead. MGM bought the rights from Selznick in 1938 possibly as a vehicle for Spencer Tracy. But Motion Picture Daily correctly stated the studio bought it for Robert Montgomery to star, and shooting was planned for MGM's studio in Denham, England. This plan was nixed when WWII broke out in September 1939, and the Denham studio was temporarily closed. MGM then moved the production to the USA, at M-G-M's main studio in Culver City, CA.
Paintings, matte shots and clever framing do much to create the illusion of grand, authentic sets. For the House of Lords set, for instance, Victor Saville said that "only a bit of the entrance hall and a bit of the balcony" were constructed. Watching the finished film it is almost impossible to believe this.
One important person was fooled at the time, too. Saville recalled with glee being summoned into Louis B. Mayer's office to be chastised for overly lavish spending. "Victor, you ruin us making a picture of this cost!" fumed Mayer. Saville replied that he had in fact not gone over cost-that he had delivered the picture for the half-million dollar budget. "But all those buildings, and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Hall," protested Mayer, fully believing all the interiors to have been the real thing. The studio chief was astonished when Saville proved his case by showing him the budget breakdown.
One important person was fooled at the time, too. Saville recalled with glee being summoned into Louis B. Mayer's office to be chastised for overly lavish spending. "Victor, you ruin us making a picture of this cost!" fumed Mayer. Saville replied that he had in fact not gone over cost-that he had delivered the picture for the half-million dollar budget. "But all those buildings, and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Hall," protested Mayer, fully believing all the interiors to have been the real thing. The studio chief was astonished when Saville proved his case by showing him the budget breakdown.