In the movie, the newspaper account lists Jascha Heifetz's stolen violin as a Stradivarius. Heifetz used a Guarnarius in the picture and favored that violin in real life, but the producers felt that the name of Stradivarius would be more recognizable.
Though Archie Mayo received sole on-screen credit as director, the scenes showing Jascha Heifetz performing were directed by William Wyler. In 1938, after Samuel Goldwyn found out Heifetz, a Lithuanian-American, widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time, would be in California soon, he signed him and, with only a vague idea of the plot, Wyler directed the concert finale for a film with no script yet. The film offers a rare opportunity to watch Heifetz perform at the peak of his career.
Wyler was proud of his work. "I shot it all on a stage at the studio," recalled Wyler in Axel Madsen's authorized 1973 biography of Wyler. "I had Heifetz and the Peter Meremblum and the California Junior Symphony Orchestra and filmed the playing of Saint-Saens' 'Rondo Capriccioso', 'Hora Staccato' by Dinicu-Heifetz, Tchaikovsky's 'Melodie,' and the last movement of Mendelssohn's 'Concerto.' I loved it!"
After the completed script needed additional scenes with Heifitz, for a hefty sum, he was enticed back to Los Angeles the following year.
Wyler was proud of his work. "I shot it all on a stage at the studio," recalled Wyler in Axel Madsen's authorized 1973 biography of Wyler. "I had Heifetz and the Peter Meremblum and the California Junior Symphony Orchestra and filmed the playing of Saint-Saens' 'Rondo Capriccioso', 'Hora Staccato' by Dinicu-Heifetz, Tchaikovsky's 'Melodie,' and the last movement of Mendelssohn's 'Concerto.' I loved it!"
After the completed script needed additional scenes with Heifitz, for a hefty sum, he was enticed back to Los Angeles the following year.
Gene Reynolds, who plays Frankie, would go on to a successful career as a TV producer and director, most notably of M*A*S*H (1972).
The tall violinist in scenes with the California Junior Symphony Orchestra standing at the far end was Raymond D. Bowman, a child prodigy from Long Beach, who was 21 at the time. In two more years he would be in the Army and survive the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. In the 1950s, he was one of the first members of the "Pearl Harbor Survivors Association" and was a classical music critic for many years for the South Bay (CA) Daily Breeze in Redondo Beach.
One of the few films in which conductor Alfred Newman makes an on-screen appearance. Newman was nominated for an Academy Award in the Music (Scoring) category for the film.