The stylized sets were inspired by an article in "Life" Magazine about the western Yellow Sky (1948). The article showed the cast of "Yellow Sky" on sets that were clearly only false fronts, as are the sets in this film.
The film was originally photographed in 3-D which, combined with the stylized sets and "stagey" acting gave it the effect of a Broadway musical filmed in the theater, but when it was finally released, movie audiences only got to see it in the standard version.
Rosemary Clooney commented that, of all the movies she was in, this is the only one where she got first billing in the credits.
A notable failure in its day, audiences didn't respond well to the film's artificial look. It was shot on a bare-bones set with cardboard backdrops.
Completed in early 1953 in 3-D, but not released until early 1954 in 2-D.