The film was directed by Elia Kazan, based on a 1945 story (written by Fulton Oursler, credited as "Anthony Abbot") in "Reader's Digest" and was shot largely in Stamford, Connecticut after Kazan was denied permission to film in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the actual events occurred. This semidocumentary also contains voice-overs by Reed Hadley. The film was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival.