Composer Robert Israel was commissioned by Turner Classic Movies to compose a new orchestra music score for their new High-Def broadcast edition, which aired on their network on June 1, 2014.
The film was originally to have been directed by Viktor Tourjansky, but it took such a long time getting the script together that he moved on to another project. George W. Hill then took over, but the studio was dissatisfied with the way it turned out. Clarence Brown was brought in and wound up reshooting almost all of it.
In the archives of the Hollywood Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral at 650 Micheltorena Street, it is referenced that a scene from the MGM 1928 film 'The Cossacks' with John Gilbert was filmed at the oldest part of the church building.