Items in the NYT incorrectly identified the film as singer Bobby Darin's cinematic debut as Darin had previously appeared in Pepe (1960). On set, he met and fell in love with co-star Sandra Dee, and the two quickly married in early Dec 1960. Their experience on Come September (1961) was depicted in the Bobby Darin biography Beyond the Sea (2004).
Come September (1961) also became a footnote in movie and aviation history. By 1961, airlines had begun showing films on flights, and Come September (1961) was the first movie to be shown on transcontinental and intercontinental flights (See also By Love Possessed (1961)). Co-star Walter Slezak delivered the film to TWA for its premiere in-flight screening. It was a perfect appetizer for travelers on their way to an Italian holiday.
When Raoul Walsh sold Rock Hudson's contract to Universal, he retained the rights to the actor for one picture. This obligation was settled a decade later when the director was given a percentage of the profits from Come September (1961).
Come September (1961) was filmed mostly on location, and due to weather conditions it took almost 12 months to shoot. Location filming took place in the coastal town of Portofino, Italy, where cloudy weather caused production delays. Soundstage work was scheduled to follow at Cinecitta Studios in Rome.
A similar car-conveying airplane was used in Goldfinger (1964) three years later. Near the film's beginning as you see Robert Talbot's Rolls Royce arriving behind the clam-shell doors at the Italian airport, this specialized aircraft is called a Bristol Freighter manufactured by the UK's Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1945 and ceased in 1958. It was developed during the Second World War, having attracted official attention from the British Air Ministry, which sought the development of a rugged vehicle capable of carrying various cargoes, including a 3-ton truck, but was a combination freighter/airliner, carrying both passengers as well as freight. In response to customer demand, an enlarged version to maximize vehicle-carrying capacity, known as the Bristol Superfreighter, was developed. Only 214 Bristol Freighters or Superfreighters were built. This particular plane was rented from Silver City Airways.