David Bruce as Austrian Sergeant at Tavern (uncredited)
Production
It was originally called The Kiss and the Sword and was meant to star Cornel Wilde. Sam Katzman announced it in May 1952.[4]
In November 1952, Katzman amended his contract with Columbia to make 15 films a year for seven years, for one that allowed him to make 20 films (17 features and three serials). The films in 1953 would include The Kiss and the Sword.[5]
In August 1953, Katzman announced the film would be made as part of a slate of five films to be made between August 18 and December 15 that year, the others being Battle of Rogue River, Pirates of Tripoli, The Miami Story, and Jungle Maneater.[6]
In September, Katzman announced the female lead would be played by Ursula Thiess, who had been brought out from Germany by RKO two years previously, but had not made any movies.[7] The same month, Robert Stack was cast as the male lead.[8]
Robert Stack later wrote, "I wore tights and sang a song, and if that wasn't enough to kill off an already ill-fated film, I don't know what else would."[9]
