David O. Selznick was credited as producer for his writing the screenplay.
Shirley Temple had been in retirement for two years when David O. Selznick persuaded her to join the film.
Claudette Colbert originally turned down the chance to play the lead as she didn't like the idea of playing mother to two teenage daughters. Enlisting the help of gossip columnist, Hedda Hopper, David O. Selznick was able to finally convince her to take on the part.
Jennifer Jones and Robert Walker play young lovers. In real life, they were at the end of a failed marriage and divorced shortly after. She later married David O. Selznick, the producer of this film.
Tay Garnett directed part of the film uncredited; Edward F. Cline, a specialist in comedies, was brought in to direct the comedy sequences; producer David O. Selznick filled in as director for four days when director John Cromwell was not available.
Katharine Cornell loved the book and campaigned to play the role, but David O. Selznick turned her down in favor of Claudette Colbert.
At the time, the longest and most expensive Hollywood film since David O. Selznick's own Gone with the Wind.
Debuting actor Guy Madison, who plays a sailor in the film, was really in the navy at the time of filming.
One of David O. Selznick's staff members told the producer about Margaret Buell Wilder's novel; he was immediately taken with it. However, Selznick really wanted to make an epic-sized movie, so he had to do a complete overhaul of the book to suit those ends. He was particularly interested in the character of the older daughter, Jane, knowing that it would make a great part for Jennifer Jones.
Original cinematographer George Barnes left the production to be replaced by Lee Garmes and Stanley Cortez.
The opening sequence was re-shot. Originally it featured a male dog (whose genitalia photographed far too prominently). The shot was redone using a female dog. David O. Selznick's personal print, however, contains the original "naughty" version.
The original novel by Margaret Buell Wilder is in epistolary form - i.e., it consists of a series of letters that she wrote to her husband while he was away at war.
The photos of Anne's husband Tim shown frequently in the Hilton home is that of Neil Hamilton. Having just left for the war as the movie starts and heading home as the movie ends, the often-referred to Tim never actually appears in the movie.
This came about because David O. Selznick wanted to make a film that showed his support for the war effort. He deliberately did not want to make a traditional war movie.