 Star Richard Widmark (qv) and original director  Robert Totten (qv) had "artistic differences," and Totten was  replaced by Don Siegel (I) (qv). When the film was completed,  Siegel, saying that Totten directed more of the film than he did,  refused to take screen credit for it, but Widmark didnt want  Tottens name on it. A compromise was reached whereby the film was  credited to the fictitious "Alan Smithee (qv)" (originally to be  called Al Smith, but the DGA said there had already been a director  by that name), thereby setting a precedent for directors who, for  one reason or another, did not want their name on a film they made.