Curiosidades

Throughout filming, the film was known as "Act Of Mercy," the title of writer Francis Clifford's novel. At the last minute, the title was changed to the meaningless Ato de Misericórdia (1962). The front office was worried about its box-office potential and thought the new name was more dramatic, as well as being similar to Os Canhões de Navarone (1961), which had been a big hit for star David Niven the previous year. It was also reported the film was re-titled for the American market.

Leslie Caron and David Niven did not get along during filming. In her 2009 autobiography 'Thank Heaven,' Caron writes: "Having nothing particularly nice to say about David Niven, I'll clam up --- only this: He had the largest hands of any partner of mine. It seems that during my young years scripts often included scenes in which I am slapped." Indeed, in closeups where the two hold hands, it is visible that Niven's hands are huge compared to hers.

Graham Lord, authorized biographer of David Niven, interviewed the movie's screenwriter John Mortimer, who became one of the actor's 'closest friends.' He is quoted: "He found Leslie Caron slightly irritating .... (on location in Spain) we spent a lot of time together. We went to see things like the Alhambra, which was not really his thing because it was a bigger star than he was! He was very funny. We drank a lot of cheap Fundador brandy, so he called me Fundador."

The role of president is played by American character actor David Opatoshu, best known around this time for his work in Alfred Hitchcock's Cortina Rasgada (1966) and Otto Preminger's Exodus (1960).

Tom's car is a 1957 Ford Country Sedan station wagon (model 79C). Base price was around $2,500 --- give or take $50 depending on engine size ($27,900 in 2024). It also has the $20 optional two-tone paint job; 49,638 were made.