Joan Crawford was offered the lead role but turned it down, saying "It should have been called 'The Women Go to War.'" Her part was played by Joan Blondell.
The shots of the Japanese aircraft crashing in flames during a raid were previously used in Mrs. Miniver (1942), where it was a German Messerschmitt Bf 110.
During the Hollywood run, MGM purchased the rights to the play for $20,000 and later paid an additional $15,000 for the rights to the Broadway production.
The play originally opened in a small theater in Hollywood, CA, in late September 1942, with the title "Cry Havoc." It opened on Broadway in New York City on 25 December 1942 with the title "Proof Through the Night,"8 but changed the title back to "Cry Havoc" on 30 December 1942, probably because of bad notices. However, it closed on 2 January 1943 after only 11 performances. The opening night cast included Carol Channing and Ann Shoemaker.
The title is from William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." "Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war." It's part of Mark Antony's speech that preceeds his speech that begins with "Friends, Romans, countrymen--lend me your ears."
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