Dean Stockwell was cast at producer 'Jerry Wald''s insistence to help the film's chances of distribution in the United States.
Jack Cardiff chose to film in black and white as he felt that Technicolor was too pretty for such a gritty subject.
Wendy Hiller was always Jack Cardiff's first choice to play the mother. He had been told that this was impossible as she was performing in a play on Broadway. Luckily for Cardiff, the play folded very quickly and Hiller was delighted to take the part.
20th Century Fox wanted Jack Hawkins and Vivien Leigh to play the parents. Leigh turned the part down because she didn't want to look "crummy".
Mary Ure replaced Joan Collins.
Producer 'Jerry Wald' never went to England during the film's production, communicating with his director only by long letter.
The film was shot in many of the locations that D.H. Lawrenceactually lived in.