According to Oliver Stone, who did the commentary on the DVD for this film, the beginning was narrated by Edward R. Murrow.
For years it was believed that NBC news anchor Chet Huntley, who narrates the opening of the film, also played Avery Bullard, when in fact he did not. The role was played by Raoul Freeman. Neither Huntley nor Freeman received screen credit.
Producer John Houseman wanted Henry Fonda for the role of McDonald Walling. Fonda turned him down to star in a Broadway musical that never reached the stage.
The entire story takes place during the 24 hour period from Friday afternoon, June 19 1953 to Saturday afternoon, June 20 1953.
The Tredway Corporation headquarters building seen in exterior shots is actually the Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL) building in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
This was one of the few Hollywood films of the era not to have a musical score. The opening credits are shown to the accompaniment of traffic noises and the tolling of a bell.
When William Holden returns home from the airport in this MGM film, we hear his baseball playing son singing off-camera the tune to "Singin' In the Rain," music by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by the head of the studio's celebrated musical unit, Arthur Freed. The song appears in many a film from The Hollywood Revue of 1929 to A Clockwork Orange, and most famously in the Gene Kelly MGM film of the same name.