On 18 Nov 1964, NYT reported that filmmaker Otto Preminger had paid an unprecedented sum of $795,000 for motion picture rights to Hurry Sundown, the yet-unpublished debut novel of husband and wife writing team Katya and Bert Gilden, also known as “K. B. Gilden.” An article in the 26 Nov 1964 edition cited the transaction as an example of rising acquisition costs at a time when studios relied heavily on adaptations of novels and plays. According to an 11 May 1965 DV brief, screenwriter Horton Foote had completed a first draft of the screenplay, following Preminger’s instructions to remain faithful to the source material. By the end of the summer, however, the 25 Aug 1965 DV announced Foote’s departure from the picture; a 21 Aug 1966 NYT article explained he had been fired. Thomas C. Ryan was hired as his replacement, and the 27 Feb 1966 NYT noted that scripting was still underway.
       Meanwhile, Preminger began searching for the ensemble cast. Although items in the 2 Feb 1965 and 29 Nov 1965 DV indicated early interest in Steve McQueen and John Wayne, the role of “Henry Warren” eventually went to Michael Caine, based on Preminger’s admiration for his performance in Alfie (1966). According to a 23 Mar 1966 Var item, Patrick O’Neal was forced to relinquish a role after signing a four-picture contract with Dino De Laurentiis. Two months later, DV reported that Roger Smith also left the project, claiming his character’s depiction in the script did not match the substance of the original novel. A 25 Apr 1966 LAT casting announcement included Candice Bergen, who remained attached until conflicts arose with the scheduling of her current feature, The Sand Pebbles (1966, see entry). Jane Fonda stepped in shortly before production. A 26 Apr 1966 DV brief also suggested that Vivien Leigh was in talks for a role, but she does not appear in the final film.
       Although Preminger considered many locations around the Southern U.S., including the novel’s Georgia setting, the 1 Feb 1967 Var indicated that he chose to shoot in Louisiana to avoid the jurisdiction of New York unions. Preminger told the 21 Aug 1966 NYT that the decision allowed him the freedom to construct a schedule that would benefit night shoots and bypass union hiring rules. The filmmaker also fired several members of his crew, including a secretary, production designer Gene Callahan, and director of photography Loyal Griggs, who suffered a back injury during production, according to the 6 Jul 1966 DV. In an 11 Sep 1966 NYT letter to the editor, Preminger’s longtime production designer Lyle R. Wheeler claimed he was unavailable to work on Hurry Sundown due to a prior commitment.
       According to a 10 Jun 1966 DV production chart, principal photography began three days earlier, on 7 Jun 1966. Immediately upon their arrival, the unit encountered hostility from locals who objected to the presence of a mixed-race cast for a film that depicted a biracial partnership between two farmers. The 21 Aug 1966 NYT article detailed their experiences in Baton Rouge, where Preminger personally thanked state legislators for accommodating the production. Despite this effort, several black cast members were refused service at area businesses, and received threats on the telephone. Tires were slashed on crew vehicles, and armed state troopers were sent to guard the unit residences at the Bellemont Motor Hotel. A 29 Mar 1967 Var advertisement for an upcoming issue of the Saturday Evening Post stated that Preminger also protested hotel rules barring black guests from using the swimming pool. Police served as escorts at most locations, including St. Francisville, which was recognized as the “center of Ku Klux Klan activity in Louisiana.” Filmmakers attempted to relocate to the nearby town of Plaquemine, but on the first day filming in the town hospital, heat from an overhead arc light activated the sprinkler system and caused $1,200 in water damage. The crew was anxious to leave the area without serious incident, and principal photography wrapped in late Aug 1966. An 8 Mar 1967 NYT article listed the cost at $4 million.
       Although production was completed in 1966, a 11 Nov 1966 LAT article stated that Paramount Pictures chose to hold the film’s release until 1967 to avoid box-office conflict with three other Michael Caine vehicles currently in theaters: Alfie, Gambit, and Funeral in Berlin (1966, see entries). However, the 11 Jan 1967 Var announced that the Easter 1967 opening had been bumped up to 9 Feb 1967, when Hurry Sundown was scheduled to premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The exclusive engagement continued until late Mar, at which time a 22 Mar 1967 Var brief reported its move to the Crest Theatre in Westwood. According to the 23 Mar 1967 NYT, the New York City run began that day at the Victoria and Plaza Theatres following a benefit premiere at the Victoria the previous evening.
       Around the time of its release, Hurry Sundown was heavily publicized for Preminger’s fight to secure Production Code approval of three sexually suggestive scenes. The director did not make any cuts, and the final film was labeled, “Suggested for Mature Audiences.”
       While officially copyrighted at 144 minutes, contemporary reviews list varying running times of 142, 146, and 148 minutes.