Trivia

Scaramouche is a roguish, burlesque clown who originated as a stock character in the 17th century Italian commedia dell'arte, where he was known as "Scaramuccia," which literally means "skirmish." He wears a black mask with a large nose who broadly grimaces and indulges in slapstick behavior and is generally beaten by Harlequin for his boasting and cowardice. He is an traditionally iconic character found in Punch and Judy shows.

This movie contains what is reported to be the longest fencing duel ever caught on film, a sequence lasting 6.08 minutes from first sword touch to final thrust. The climactic fight ranges throughout the theater, from the balcony boxes, to the lobby, through the main seats, backstage, and finally on the stage itself. The actors spent eight weeks preparing for this sequence, having to memorize 87 different individual sword passes and 28 stunts.

Nina Foch wore the same dress worn by Norma Shearer in the 1938 "Marie Antoinette."

Stewart Granger wore lifts in the film so he would appear to be the same height as his slightly taller co-stars Mel Ferrer, Henry Wilcoxon and Richard Anderson. Granger's height was often listed as 6'3" but it is widely believed he was actually 6'1".

In the final duel between Andre Moreau and the Marquis de Maynes, Andre (Stewart Granger) jumps at the Duc from the back of a row of theatre chairs. During the filming of this scene, Granger narrowly missed serious injury to his groin when he landed astride the next row of chairs, and filming had to be halted temporarily.