Robert Newton was originally hired to play Svengali with a specific clause in the contract about the actor's drinking, but after a few days of shooting, his erratic behavior resulted in his being replaced by Donald Wolfit. Newton fled to Australia, where he filmed The Adventures of Long John Silver (1956). After he returned, he found himself facing a three hundred seventy-five thousand dollar breach of contract suit from the producers.
The film originally starred Robert Newton but he was fired after 3 weeks and replaced by Donald Wolfit, which required some scenes to be re-shot. Michael Craig was unable to return for this, resulting in part of his role being cut.
In 2001, shortly before her death, a journalist asked Hildegard Knef to give him a list of her five favorite movies. This one was on it.
Rica Fox's debut.
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