Stewart Granger later wrote in his memoirs he had to make the film or go on suspension: "I wasn't particularly enamored of the thought of working with [Richard Brooks], as I had heard he had reduced a small-part actor to tears. That actor was Ramon Novarro. The thought of anyone reducing one of my childhood heroes to tears filled me with anger, but that's Hollywood. When a star is down he's fair game for anyone. I had to agree in order to avoid suspension and went along to meet Brooks. His opening words [were], 'I have to tell you that I wanted Cary Grant' . . . [introducing leading lady Pier Angeli] '[She will] play opposite you. Doesn't speak very good English but we'll get around that'. I spoke very good English but wondered how the hell I would get around his dialogue".
Stewart Granger recalled, "Making 'The Light Touch' was fairly uneventful and I knew as I made it that it would add nothing careerwise to anybody connected with it. Pier Angeli was adorable with an anxious mother in attendance at all times and [Richard Brooks]was his apparently usual, unpleasant self".
The original story by Tom Reed and legendary Broadway producer Jed Harris was called "Crown of Thorns" and was purchased by MGM in April 1950 for $60,000. The story has some resemblances to the real life theft of the famous "Mona Lisa" painting.
Filming was temporarily halted on The Wild North (1952) so that Stewart Granger could star in this film.