During the shooting of the movie in England, Sean Connery was confronted by a gun-waving Johnny Stompanato, hoodlum boyfriend of Lana Turner. The jealous hood warned Connery to keep away from Lana. Connery answered by decking Johnny. Shortly thereafter, back in the U.S., Stompanato met his end at the hands of the frightened, butcher-knife-wielding teenage daughter of Lana Turner, Cheryl Crane.
The film was released four months ahead of schedule to capitalize on the Johnny Stompanato murder.