During planning, a number of actors and production staff were considered, including Marlon Brando and Robert Mitchum for the male lead role, Chinese actress Dora Ding as the female lead, James Wong Howe as director of photography, and even Don Rickles, then making a name as a "second banana" in films. Lisa Lu, who played Madame Sue-Mei Hung in her first major role, recruited P. C. Lee, Leo Chen, Richard Wang and C. N. Hu, faculty members from the Chinese Mandarin Department, Army Language School, to appear in the film.