It was cited by director Martin Scorsese as one of his favorite films of all time, and he assessed Gene Tierney as one of the most underrated actresses of the Golden Era.
Although Gene Tierney was nominated for an Academy award for this film, she lost to Joan Crawford who won for Mildred Pierce (1945).
For the proposal scene, Cornel Wilde had trouble reacting convincingly to Gene Tierney's advances, but each time they did a take the crew was so impressed, they whistled at her. Finally, John M. Stahl said to Wilde, "They all seem to understand how the scene should be played. Why can't you?"