 Mackenzie was annoyed with aspects of the adaptation and, referring to the removal of the religious divide, described the production as "[a]nother of my books gone west".Alastair Sim was offered the role of Joseph Macroon in the film, but turned it down to avoid being typecast as "a professional Scotsman".It had been Mackenzie's ambition to appear in a film, and he was given the role of Captain Buncher, the master of SS "Cabinet Minister", as "Politician" was renamed in the book and film.