- Doing It for the Art: Rod Steiger accepted a lower salary because of the material and because he wanted to work with Sidney Lumet.
- What Could Have Been: Stanley Kubrick (who didn't find the material exciting), Karel Reisz (who thought the material hit too close to home, as his parents died in the Holocaust), and Franco Zeffirelli (who found the material too dark) turned down a chance to direct the movie. Arthur Hiller was then hired as director, but then fired by producer Ely Landau.
- Sidney Lumet originally wanted Paul Muni for the role of Sol, and also approached Kirk Douglas, Burl Ives, James Mason, and Laurence Olivier. Believe it or not, Groucho Marx was also considered.
- United Artists was originally approached to distribute the movie, but they insisted there be no scenes showing the Holocaust, as they thought it would be too depressing for moviegoers.
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