Although filmed in the standard 1.37-1 aspect ratio, this film was chosen by Universal-International as its first widescreen feature, accomplishing this by cropping the top and bottom and projecting it at 1.85-1 at Loew's State Theatre in New York City, as well as other sites. Its initial presentation also marked U-I's first use of directional stereophonic sound, although few theaters in the country had such equipment at the time.
Thunder Bay marked Universal Pictures' entry into the widescreen format craze of the day. Some contemporary reviewers complained that the sound, with its use of three speakers, was loud and distracting. Publicity materials also indicate that the picture was originally planned as a 3-D production.
Thunder Bay marked Universal Pictures' entry into the widescreen format craze of the day. Some contemporary reviewers complained that the sound, with its use of three speakers, was loud and distracting. Publicity materials also indicate that the picture was originally planned as a 3-D production.
Fictionalized depiction of the first offshore oil well, defined as being out of sight of land. Drilling began on 9 September 1947 on a rig owned by the Kerr-McGee Corporation in 15 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico, 10.5 miles off the coast of Louisiana.
A local newspaper reported in October 1952 that production had to be halted for about a week as the boats rented for use in this picture had all left Morgan City, Louisiana with the rest of the shrimping fleet on reports of a bonanza catch out in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the HR review and news items, most of the picture was shot in Morgan City, LA, and some scenes were shot in New Orleans and on an oil-drilling barge thirty miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. Several reviewers did note that offshore oil drilling was a "headline subject" at the time.