The movie was adapted by Allen Rivkin and Laura Kerr from the play Juhani Tervapää, by Hella Wuolijoki. It was directed by H.C. Potter.
It won the Academy Award for Best Actress (Loretta Young) and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Charles Bickford).
The movie was based on a a Finnish language movie, Juurakon Hulda.
In 1963, a television series version was produced, starring Inger Stevens, Cathleen Nesbitt and William Windom.