This was one of the first films to benefit from the post-war euphoria that gripped America in 1945. Despite being released in August (rather than a more logical holiday-time release) this grossed a then impressive $3 million, making it one of the year's most successful movies.
Warner Bros.' animation department quickly co-opted the film's theme song, "The Wish That I Wish Tonight," which was used liberally in its Looney Tunes cartoon series, nearly always in scenes that depicted Bugs Bunny in drag.
S.Z. Sakall, who plays Uncle Felix, was of Hungarian ancestry (born in Budapest) and serves several Hungarian-inspired dishes in this film (he adds paprika to the stew, makes goulash, kidneys, etc.). This was an instance of art imitating life; Sakall detested "American food" and insisted on only eating Hungarian or continental food, even having his wife cook his lunches for him while he was on set.
In 1945, studio head Jack L. Warner went on a cost-cutting kick, hoping to cut down on extravagant production expenditures during war-time. As an example, the mink coat Barbara Stanwyck is seen buying herself as a reward near the beginning of this film is the same coat Joan Crawford wore throughout another 1945 Warner hit, Mildred Pierce (1945).
The character of Elizabeth Lane was loosely based on the then popular Family Circle Magazine columnist Gladys Taber, who lived on Stillmeadow Farm in Connecticut.