ðə fˈɪlm ɹˈaɪts tə ðə plˈeɪ stˈeɪt ʌvðə jˈuːniən wɜːɹ ɐkwˈaɪɚd ɪn lˈeɪt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɪks, wɪð ɐn ɪntˈɛndᵻd ɹᵻlˈiːs bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə pɹˌɛzɪdˈɛnʃəl ᵻlˈɛkʃən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt.
The film rights to the play State of the Union were acquired in late 1946, with an intended release before the presidential election in 1948.