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Filmed in 1947. The film's release was delayed by two years because Howard Hughes was in the process of buying RKO.

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Robert Mitchum lobbied unsuccessfully for the role of Chicamaw. He told Nicholas Ray that he was very familiar with bank robbers and chain gangs, and even cut and dyed his hair black (in the original treatment Chicamaw was an Indian). He was rejected because he had recently been nominated for an Oscar, and a supporting role was considered unworthy for a rising star.

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In the opening scene Bowie (Farley Granger) has a hurt leg; later on in shooting Granger really did fall and hurt his leg. Howard Da Silva had to carry him to the hospital.

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The opening sequence was filmed from a helicopter. Although helicopters had been used in filming by 1947, mainly for aerial views or landscapes, this is one of the first times an action scene was filmed from the sky. The most difficult thing about it was to keep the actors in focus. It took them four takes; they eventually chose the second one.

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It is rumored that Nicholas Ray made Cathy O'Donnell work at a gas station for two weeks so that she would look convincing in her role.

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The film lost USD$445,000 in its initial release in the USA.

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French visa # 10588. (Ah oui ?)