The horse that Kirk Douglas is riding in the film is a movie star in his own right. The horse's name is "Pie" and appears in many Western movies, mostly those with the actor Jimmy Stewart. Besides Stewart and Douglas, he was ridden by Glenn Ford and Audie Murphy. Pie appeared in 17 Westerns. Jimmy Stewart loved the horse and said he was "...one of the best co-stars I ever worked with." Pie can be seen in, amongst others, The Far Country (1954), Winchester '73 (1950), and Bend of the River (1952). Pie lived until 1970 and was buried on Jimmy Stewart's ranch in California.
One of the first films that Kirk Douglas made through his production company. The film was a box-office hit.
Richard Boone appears here almost two years before his classic Western television series, Have Gun - Will Travel (1957).
The locomotive on the train at the beginning is Southern Pacific Railroad #1215. It was built in 1913 and "dressed up" by the prop department to appear as an Old West-era locomotive. It is currently on display at the San Jose Historical Museum.