During filming, high temperatures made life miserable for both cast and crew. The intense heat caused the film stock to warp, and it had to be packed in ice to remain intact. Lillian Gish claimed that she touched an outside door handle and was so severely burned that a small part of her palm's flesh was scalded off.
The wind in the film was created by the propellers of eight aircraft engines stationed on location in the Mojave Desert.
The airplane propellers blowing hot air, sand, and smoke were so dangerous that crew members were forced to wear long-sleeved clothing, eye goggles, bandannas around their necks, and greasepaint on their faces whenever the machines were being run.
Included among the American Film Institute's 1998 list of the 400 movies nominated for the Top 100 Greatest American Movies.