On the advice of his future wife Joanna Shimkus, Sidney Poitier took over directorial duties from Joseph Sargent when he became dissatisfied with the film's point of view. As a result, this turned out to be Poitier's debut behind the camera and he would go on to direct eight more pictures.
Ruby Dee played Sidney Poitier's character's wife, just as she had in Edge of the City (1957) and A Raisin in the Sun (1961).
Sidney Poitier's third directorial effort Uptown Saturday Night (1974), in which he also co-starred like this film, also had Harry Belafonte as part of the cast.