According to news items in Hollywood Reporter, Darryl Zanuck originally planned to co-star Ronald Colman and Marlene Dietrich in this film, which was shot on location in Balboa Park, CA. Other news items in Hollywood Reporter note that the film was budgeted at $2,500,000. $500,000 was allotted for sets and $500,000 allotted for the flood and earthquake scenes. 350 grips, carpenters and other laborers worked for more than a month on these sequences. To create the effects in the flood scenes, a tank holding approximately 50,000 gallons of water was erected on a studio soundstage. Another news item in Hollywood Reporter adds that the budget was increased by $100,000 in June so that a new ending could be filmed. According to another news item in Hollywood Reporter, cameraman Arthur Miller replaced Bert Glennon in early May after Glennon became ill. Myrna Loy was borrowed from M-G-M for this picture. The picture marked Brenda Joyces screen debut. It won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects and was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Musical Score and Best Sound Recording. In 1940, George Brent and Kay Francis starred in a Lux Radio Theater version of the story. The 1955 film The Rains of Ranchipur, directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Lana Turner and Richard Burton, was a remake of this film. According to a modern source, Turner was considered for the role of "Fern Simon" for the 1939 version.
Released in United States 1939
Remade as "The Rains of Ranchipur" (1955) directed by Jean Negulesco.
Released in United States 1939
