Errol Flynn became embroiled in an infamous rape trial during the production shoot of this movie. Warner Brothers studio mogul Jack L. Warner rushed Flynn's previous film Gentleman Jim into theatrical release and even hired Flynn a lawyer.
Errol Flynn was criticized for playing heroes in World War II movies. Tony Thomas in his book 'Errol Flynn: The Spy Who Never Was' states that Flynn had tried to enlist in every branch of any armed services he could but was rejected as unfit for service on the grounds of his health. Flynn had a heart condition, tuberculosis, malaria and a back problem. Flynn felt he could contribute to America's war effort by appearing in such films as Edge of Darkness; Northern Pursuit; Dive Bomber, Objective, Burma!, and Uncertain Glory. Reportedly, Flynn was at his most professional and co-operative he ever was whilst working on Second World War movies. The studios apparently did not diffuse the criticism of Flynn's state-of-health as they wished to keep it quiet for fear of his box-office draw waning.
Miles Mander's voice is heard over the short-wave radio as that of Winston Churchill. The year before he had voiced Churchill at Warner's for Captains of the Clouds.
According to the book 'Bill Collins presents The Golden Years of Hollywood' by Bill Collins, "Robert Rossen . . . fired the script with his own socialist beliefs."
According to the book 'The Films of World War II' by Joe Morella, Edward Z. Epstein and John Griggs, the shooting of this movie was beset by many production problems. The book states: "Ann Sheridan parted from husband George Brent; Errol Flynn was indicted for rape; location shooting in a small California town was delayed several weeks because of fog, during which Ruth Gordon and Judith Anderson were besieged with telegrams from Katharine Cornell demanding their return to New York for her stage production of The Three Sisters. Miss Gordon was restrained from leaving, but not before letting it be known that she hated Hollywood and the picture. Fortunately for Warners, the fog lifted, Flynn was acquitted, and the film was completed."
First full length Feature of Virginia Christine.
Location shooting for this movie involved filming in Monterey County and on the Monterey Peninsula in California. Sites included Monterey and Monterey Bay, Cannery Row in New Monterey, Del Monte and the Del Monte Forest and in coves near Cypress Point. Special authorization was granted the production by the US Navy and US Army for the production to shoot in a Restricted Military Zone in Del Monte in the environs of the Monterey Presidio. 'The New York Times' reported on 27 September 1942 that the production filming involved a fleet of local fishing boats and two piers at Monterey.
Several cast members in studio records/casting call lists did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names, if any): Michael Mark (Fisherman), Al Bridge (Whaler), Victor Potel, Richard Kipling and Vera Lewis.
Studio Warner Brothers acquired the filming rights to William Woods's novel 'The Edge of Darkness' for US $30, 000.
The Minister of St. Olav's Church for Norwegian Seamen, Hans Stesness acted as a a technical advisor to the production for the religious scenes, according to a press release for this movie held at the AMPAS Library. St Olav's Church is situated in the environs of the Los Angeles Harbor and is now known as the Norwegian Seamen's Church, San Pedro and it is part of the Norwegian Church Abroad. Richard Fraser portraying village Pastor Aalesen was personally lent a robe by Pastor Stessness for wearing in this film.
The production shoot of this movie went thirty days over schedule.
The working title for this movie was 'Norway in Revolt'.
This film was apparently banned in Argentina (at least at around the time the film was completed and first released). Their government of the day denied an exhibition permit for the film citing that the picture could compromise that country's political neutrality.
This film was one of a handful of movies that were all released around the same time that dealt with the Norwegian Resistance in World War II. The movies include They Raid by Nightaka The Commandos Have Landed; Commandos Strike at Dawn; First Comes Courage and Edge of Darkness.
This movie was director Lewis Milestone's first film for the Warner Brothers studio since The Caveman, a gap of seventeen years.
This movie was the second of three films that stars Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan made together (not including compilation shows, television or live appearances). The first was Dodge City and the last was Silver River.
Weather problems plagued the production shoot of this movie. A thick fog delayed location filming for several weeks in the town of Monterey, California. Errol Flynn got sick with a sinus illness, a condition which apparently was caused and/or aggravated by the bad fog weather.