The film was started in 1914 by Capellani but the shooting was interrupted by the declaration of the war. Only half of it was in the can. André Antoine decided to resume shooting in 1916, offering Julien Duvivier the position of assistant director, his first non-acting job. The problem was that several members of the cast were at the front and some had even been killed in action. As a result, in many scenes, the actors (actually doubles) are only seen from behind.
