According to a 24 Oct 1967 LAT article, producer-director Peter Glenville read the galley proofs of Graham Greene’s novel, The Comedians, which was described as a “harsh indictment” of contemporary Haiti under dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier. Although the subject matter made it impossible to actually shoot in Haiti, Greene strongly urged Glenville to see the country under Duvalier’s rule before the book was published in late Jan 1966. Glenville and an art director toured the country under the pretense of conducting research for a picture about Haiti’s 19th century king, Henri Christophe—an idea that was enthusiastically embraced by government officials. The two reportedly left the country just one day before the book’s U.K. and U.S. release, and on 2 Feb 1966, Var officially announced Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s (MGM) plans to adapt a feature film. A 31 Aug 1966 DV news item indicated that the project was part of an existing four-picture deal with Glenville, who spent the summer of 1966 in the South of France to work with Greene as he developed the screenplay. A production office was set up in Paris, France, allowing Glenville to begin casting and scouting for potential locations.
       Richard Burton and Alec Guinness were the first to join the cast, and the news was followed by a 4 Oct 1966 DV item reporting that Burton’s wife, Elizabeth Taylor, had also accepted a role. Although her appearance is brief, Taylor told the 7 May 1967 LAT that the studio insisted she receive star billing.
       According to a 21 Apr 1967 DV production chart, principal photography began 11 Jan 1967, with exteriors of “Port-au-Prince” filmed in Cotonou, the capital city of the Republic of Dahomey in West Africa. Articles in the 3 Feb 1967 LAT and 7 May 1967 NYT indicated that the production contributed roughly $300,000 to the local economy and employed several of the country’s poor for a rate of $4 each day. The 140-person crew rented out the entire Hotel de la Plage, while Glenville, Taylor and Burton, and co-star Alec Guinness paid $1,000 per month to stay in three “lavish” villas usually reserved for visiting heads of state. The 7 Mar 1967 LAT reported that the unit had since returned to a studio facility near Paris, with additional exteriors to be completed in Nice. A 5 Jun 1967 DV estimated that the production, which had recently finished shooting, came in $400,000 under budget.
       The 7 Sep 1967 NYT announced plans for a 31 Oct 1967 premiere at New York City’s Coronet Theatre. Regular screenings continued the following day at both the Coronet and DeMille theatres, while a theatrical run began simultaneously at the Beverly Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. According to the 3 Jan 1968 Var, MGM passed on its original plans to roadshow the film alongside its other scheduled “hardticket” engagements for Far From the Madding Crowd (1967, see entry) and a re-issue of Gone With the Wind (1940, see entry). However, the studio proceeded with its reserved-seat policy for the U.K. engagement at the Coliseum Cinerama in London, England, beginning 18 Jan 1968. The 24 Oct 1967 LAT revealed that the U.K. release contained an intermission.
       A full-page advertisement in the 13 Sep 1967 issue of Var declared that “special early engagements” were planned throughout November 1967 leading up to the national opening in time for Christmas holiday. Sources indicated that the film was cut heavily for second-run theaters. Many of Guinness’s scenes were excised, and the narrative ends earlier than in the original version.
       The Comedians marked Glenville's final feature film. Although he was initially hired to direct 1972's Man of La Mancha (see entry), he was replaced by Arthur Hiller.