Marlon Brando's Pennebaker Films co-produced, and Paul Newman was cast after Brando lost interest in the film. Marilyn Monroe was also considered for the Woodward role before she too lost interest.
Paul Newman was coached in playing the trombone by Billy Byers while the playing for Newman on the soundtrack was done by Murray McEachern. Sidney Poitier's tenor sax playing was done by Paul Gonsalves. The soundtrack was recorded May 1-3, 1961 at Reeves Sound Studios in New York City.
Although Duke Ellington received an Academy Award nomination for Best Music, Scoring a Musical Picture, this film is not a musical, but rather a romantic drama in a jazz-music setting.
it was during filming of this that Joanne Woodward became pregnant with Melissa, who was born the day the film opened in the US