The Sins of Rachel Cade

The film is loosely based on the 1956 novel by Charles Mercer, Rachel Cade, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Film rights were bought prior to publication by William Dozier who was head of production at RKO Pictures. In September 1956 he announced that Stanley Rubin would produce and the film would be made in Africa with John Wayne. It would be part of a five-picture slate from Rubin worth $12 million starting with The Girl Most Likely.^[3] Katharine Hepburn was announced as a possible star.^[4] Then Dozier offered the lead to Deborah Kerr.^[5] Stirling Silliphant signed to write the script.^[6] In October Dozier said the film would be one of fifteen RKO would make the following year, others including Stage Struck, Bangkok, Ten Days in August, Three Empty Rooms, Affair in Portifino, Sex and Miss McAdoo, Pakistan, Galveston, On My Honor, The Naked and the Dead, Cash MCad, Far Alert, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Curtain Going Up.^[7]

RKO wound up as a company – most of the fifteen films listed were not made. Film rights went to Warner Bros. Pictures who in November 1958 announced they would make the film.^[8] In March 1959 Edward Anhalt was assigned to write the script and Henry Blanke was to produce.^[9] Blanke had also produced The Nun's Story (1959), starring Audrey Hepburn. The Sins of Rachel Cade had some familiarities to that story particularly with the lead character: a religious female working to help during wartime. Also, Peter Finch plays an atheistic authority figure in both films.

In June Warners announced that Carroll Baker would star and Gordon Douglas would direct.^[10] Peter Finch was announced as the male star. However Baker refused to make the movie and Warners gave the lead to Angie Dickinson, who had just made Rio Bravo and The Bramble Bush for the studio.^[11]

In August Peter Finch arrived in Hollywood for filming, which began August 27. He called his role "a good, rather cynical part with some excellent dialogue."^[12] Rafer Johnson signed in September.^[13] Roger Moore's casting was announced in October – he was then making The Alaskans for Warner Bros.^[14]

• The Sins of Rachel Cade at IMDb
• The Sins of Rachel Cade at the TCM Movie Database (archived version)
• The Sins of Rachel Cade at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
• The Sins of Rachel Cade at Rotten Tomatoes