The film's shoot faced numerous complications. As with "John Paul Jones" (1959), Bronston secured the financing backing from business executive Pierre S. du Pont III, but months into the shoot, the production had run out of money. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer became interested in investing as they saw the film as a potential rival to "Ben-Hur" (1959), which was still in wide release. MGM studio president Joseph Vogel visited the set in Madrid and viewed dailies of the unfinished film. Coming away impressed, he alerted production head Sol C. Siegel of the production in which he also visited the set. Siegel recommended various changes feeling the film was too long, needed more action, and had a weak ending. An original Jewish Zealot character named "David" portrayed by Richard Johnson was written into the film who was function as a bridge between the film's plot threads. Due to the heavy deviations being made to the film's shooting script, Nicholas Ray and Philip Yordan were no longer on speaking terms communicating only through walkie-talkies.