Edgar Buchanan (Buford 'Doc' Thorpe) was a dentist before he became an actor.

According to pre-production news items in HR, Stuart Heisler was initially slated to direct this picture, but after an illness forced him to withdraw from the project, Charles Vidor was assigned to direct. After Vidor refused the assignment, George Marshall was hired. Evelyn Keyes was considered for the role of "Mike King," according to a HR news item. Another pre-production news item in HR adds that in Dec 1940, Glenn Ford was assigned to replace William Holden in the lead role when Holden was suspended by Paramount (which shared his contract with Columbia) over a financial disagreement. The news item does not specify which part Ford was assigned, however, and both actors star in the completed picture. Other news items in HR furnish the following information about the film's production: The studio imported 500 Longhorn steers from Texas to appear in the film. Exteriors were shot at the Balkins Ranch near Calabasas, CA. The engine used in the sequence depicting the completion of the railroad was built in 1861 and was used to haul gold out of Virginia City during the Civil War. Four cameras were employed to shoot the sequence. According to the Var review, the preview prints of the film were sepia toned. Edgar Buchanan, who played dentist "Doc Thorpe" in the film, had practiced dentistry before turning to acting. Modern sources add Lyle Lytell, George Lloyd and Richard Fiske to the cast.

Continuity

When William Holden ambushes the stagecoach robbers he removes the leaders gun from his holster two seconds later he is seen removing it again.

In the early rounds of the fight, Dutch gives Dan "Texas" Thomas a large bruise on the side of Dan's face near his left eye. However, at round 35, the bruise no longer shows in a close-up of Dan. Then the exactly sized bruise is back on Dan's face in the same place at round 40.



Factual errors

The story set in 1866, post-Civil War Texas has everyone armed with Colt Model 1873 pistols with bullet loops full of cartridges on their gun-belts, even the movie poster has William Holden's character Dan holding a short barrel 'gunfighter's' version of the .45 caliber pistol. This is seven years before the pistol was introduced by Colt. The most common sidearm of the day would have been the Colt 1869 Army which was a cap and ball weapon that had to be hand loaded chamber by chamber with powder, wadding and a ball projectile.



Anachronisms

Claire Trevor's hairstyle is strictly 1941, even though the story is taking place in 1866.