The film begins in the then standard square frame format before expanding into the much wider Todd AO format. This was done solely to showcase the size of the screen.
The film features the longest closing credits sequence up to that time and for many years afterward - six minutes and twenty-one seconds. All of the film's credits are shown only at the end, and the very last credit to be shown is the film's title.
The film played for three consecutive years at the Rivoli Theatre in New York, from 1956 to 1959, in Todd AO. In 1959, it was sent out on general release in regular widescreen format.
The film that created the idea of "cameo roles" as a means of inviting established stars to participate in a production.
The film used 140 sets built at six Hollywood studios, as well as in England, Hong Kong and Japan.
- 74,685 costumes were designed, made or rented for use in the film.
- The cast and crew flew over 4,000,000 miles.
- 68,894 extras were used while shooting the film in 13 countries.
- 90 animal handlers managed the record 8,552 animals used (3,800 sheep, 2,448 buffalo, 950 donkeys, 800 horses, 512 monkeys, 17 bulls, 15 elephants, 6 skunks, and 4 ostriches).
The film utilized the talents of, at that time, the most animals ever in any film.
The film was initially released with the screenplay attributed solely to S.J. Perelman. This was later changed after James Poe and John Farrow sued.
The following famous people appear in small parts in the film, and are credited: A.E. Matthews, Alan Mowbray, Andy Devine, Basil Sydney, Beatrice Lillie, Buster Keaton, Cesar Romero, Charles Boyer, Charles Coburn, Tim McCoy, Edmund Lowe, Edward R. Murrow, Evelyn Keyes, Fernandel, Finlay Currie, Frank Sinatra, George Raft, 'Gilbert Roland', Glynis Johns, Harcourt Williams, Hermione Gingold, Jack Oakie, Joe E. Brown, John Carradine, John Mills, José Greco,
The role of Passepartout was greatly expanded from the novel to accommodate the presence of Mexican star Cantinflas. In the mid-50s, he was the wealthiest movie star in the world, and was given top billing in Latin countries.
The term "cameo", meaning in this case a small part by a famous person, was popularized by the many "cameo appearances" in this film.
There is no gas balloon in the original novel. Nevertheless this mode of transportation has endured as an iconic image of the film.
There were two separate lawsuits filed against the producer of this film, claiming that the title song had been plagiarized.
This film called for more costumes (74,685) then any other film ever made. The Western Costume Co. in Hollywood provided most of the costumes, but wardrobe storehouses in London, Japan, Hong Kong and Spain were also all called on to provide costumes for the 1,243 extras.
This is the second Todd-AO production (the first was Oklahoma!) shot twice, at 24 fps (to produce the general-release version in 35 mm) and at 30 fps (to produce the roadshow version in 70 mm). Both versions were shot on 65 mm negative with Todd-AO lenses. Sometimes two cameras operated side-by-side filming the same take, other times the same camera was used with the speed changed for the second take, and still other times, in non-dialogue scenes, the same shot was used. The 35 mm version is presented in conventional 2:1 squeeze anamorphic process (incorrectly credited to Todd-AO); the 70 mm version is presented in Todd-AO.
This was the third Best Picture Oscar winner shot in a widescreen format. (The very first Best Picture winner in history, Wings, contained some widescreen sequences.)
Tied with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for the longest title of an Oscar winner for Best Motion Picture until 2004 when The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won. The shortest is Gigi.
Two major episodes in the film that do not appear in the novel are the arrival in Spain by gas balloon and the bullfighting scene.