This film had a long gestation. It began life as a play by
Frank Launder and
Sidney Gilliat called "The Body was Well-Nourished", originally written in 1937, but not staged until 1940. At that time, the character of the assassin was a supporting role. The play lasted less than three weeks in London, although this was less due to unpopularity than to the Blitz. Launder and Gilliat were never quite satisfied with the play, and, after the war, revised and updated it, re-titling it "Meet a Body". This was first staged in 1954 (produced by
Laurence Olivier, who did not act in it), but the authors still felt it could be improved, and turned it into a film vehicle for
Alastair Sim, who originally wanted to direct, or at least co-direct, it. He had some disagreements with
Robert Day, so several scenes were directed either by
Basil Dearden or by Launder and Gilliat themselves.
