Clare Boothe Luce, then U.S. Ambassador to Italy, prevented the film from being shown at the Venice Film Festival; and a Senate committee had decided that the film would not have beneficial effects on contemporary youth. Both incidents only served to increase publicity and ticket sales for the controversial movie.
To the end of his life, Richard Kiley regularly received collections of old jazz records to make up for the ones his character lost in this picture.
The original novel was based on author Evan Hunter's own experiences as a teacher in New York City's tough South Bronx area. Hunter (who found fame as crime writer Ed McBain) said, "I thought I was going to give these kids who want to be motor mechanics Shakespeare and they were going to appreciate it and they weren't buying it. I went home in tears night after night."
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