Trivia

Because Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif were being held to contracts signed several years earlier, when they were less famous, they both had to accept smaller fees than one would expect, given how famous they were when this movie was made early in 1966. Neither was very happy with this situation, but they took care to claim the lavish living expenses to which they were entitled.

The Polish army contributed approximately two hundred troops to play German soldiers, and they also provided their own weapons, tanks, and vehicles. Not all of them were period-correct, however.

On a budget of 5.2 million dollars, this had only taken in three million dollars by 1972.

Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif were reluctant to do this movie, but felt they owed it to producer Sam Spiegel for making them stars in Lawrence of Arabia (1962).

Filmmaker Yves Boisset says in his memoirs that, on the set, Peter O'Toole arrived totally drunk for a scene, but finally did it perfectly, before getting back to his alcoholic condition, unable to even stand up.

Christopher Plummer: as Erwin Rommel, but did not feature on advertising publicity of the time.