Jack L. Warner purchased the rights to the novel with the hopes to star Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. But scheduling conflicts with both performers caused them to turn down the project.
Due to wartime rationing shortages, most of the vegetables in the New Orleans market scene were fake.
For the climactic train wreck scene, director Sam Wood used two complete trains, including 2 locomotives and 12 cars. Six cameras were used to film the scene where the trains meet in a head-on collision.
It was shot in late February 1943 to late June 1943 but because of the overload of war related films they held the release to 1945.
The word "Trunk" refers to a branch railroad line - a 'trunk' line - in this case, to Binghamton, New York on the Delaware and Hudson.
Two songs were published based on themes from the Max Steiner score: "As Long As I Live" and "Goin' Home", both with lyrics by Charles Tobias.
Warners had hoped to possibly borrow Lena Horne from MGM for the role of Clio, but the studio refused to loan her out.