This movie was filmed in Yugoslavia because the Turkish government allegedly refused permission to film it there for political reasons.
This almost went into production in 1965 as a large scale Twentieth Century Fox production, with The Collector (1965)'s team of John Kohn and Stanley Mann producing and writing. However, at the request of the U.S. State Department, Twentieth Century Fox cancelled the production.
The producers were able to raise the finances for this movie in Turkey, with the formal approval of the Turkish government of the day. However, the Turkish Film Censorship Committee refused to grant permission for this movie to be filmed in Turkey. After elections in Turkey, a new Turkish government upheld the decision of the Turkish Film Censorship Committee, and refused to grant filming permits to the producers. Therefore, the production had to be moved in a hurry to Yugoslavia. This movie had a Royal Gala Premiere, in the aid of U.N.I.C.E.F., in May 1984, in London, but the Turkish Ambassador did not attend it. The Turkish government banned this movie in Turkey.
Sir Peter Ustinov once described this movie as follows: "It is a combination of action, intrigue, humor, and young love. It is a satirical look at the strife between the peasants and the landowners of Turkey in the 1920s."
This movie, set in Turkey, was filmed entirely on-location in Yugoslavia.