According to studio records, this film was a disaster at the box office for MGM, losing almost $3M ($24M in 2016 dollars).
Kirk Douglas was paid $500,000 for acting in this film, and was also entitled to 10% of the profits (but there weren't any). Cyd Charisse was paid $50,000 and was cast despite Douglas's strong opposition.
Kirk Douglas was insistent that Cyd Charisse be billed under the title and not given equal billing with himself and Edward G. Robinson.
The last of three Kirk Douglas films produced by John Houseman. The others were The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and Khát Sống (1956).
The old film of Kirk Douglas's character Jack that is being screened is The Bad and the Beautiful (1952).