Cyd Charisse completed the bulk of this film (most impressively in two romantic dance duets with Ricardo Montalban), then broke her leg during the filming of the big ceremonial dance, where the corps de ballet is in island native makeup. A double completed her scenes (shot at full length), but the injury kept her out of her next scheduled film, Easter Parade (1948). That role, which would have advanced her to fourth billing, went to Ann Miller, making her MGM debut.
This was one of MGM's most successful films of the era. It was so popular that Esther Williams' ranking on the Top Money-Making Stars list catapulted from #24 in 1947 to #11 in 1948. From this point forward, Williams remained among the studio's top box office draws for almost a decade.
Peter Lawford's open resentment about being forced to make this film played a part in his never quite achieving full-fledged stardom. Studio head Louis B. Mayer felt the actor's lack of gratitude about being built up by MGM deserved to be punished rather than rewarded.
The little British girl is Kathryn Beaumont who did the voices of Alice in Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Wendy Darling in Peter Pan (1953).
Jimmy Durante tells Xavier Cugat that he was once a member of the acclaimed vaudeville trio, "Clayton, Jackson, and Buckley." This is a nod to Durante's former vaudeville team of Lou Clayton, Eddie Jackson and himself, who called themselves "The Three Sawdust Bums." The trio successfully toured clubs and theaters from 1924 - 1931.