Timothy Hutton, son of Jim Hutton, made his first screen appearance in this movie as the little boy who runs to his father.
Hoping to attract bigger box-office names, the studio originally tried to sign Spencer Tracy and Rosalind Russell for roles eventually played by Paul Ford and Maureen O'Sullivan, the stars of the Broadway play.
Spencer Tracy was Warner's first choice for the role of Harry Lambert, but he was ailing and Katharine Hepburn had refused the role of Edith because she thought she was too old for it.