 Unlike Castles other films, the punishment poll gimmick came as an  afterthought. When the film was first shown to the execs at Columbia  Pictures, they demanded that Castle shot an alternate happy ending  to the film. Castle agreed, and soon decided to use this situation  as a springboard for a gimmick. After shooting the happy ending, he  shot a brief segment to be inserted before the ending. The audience  would be given cards with a thumbs up and thumbs down. Before the  ending, Castle appeared on the screen and explained the poll. He  then "counted" the votes. If mercy won, then the happy ending would  be shown. If no mercy won, the original ending would be shown. It is  doubtful, though, that any audience voted mercy.