tʊ əbtˈeɪn spˈɛnsɚ tɹˈeɪsi fɚðə lˈiːd ɹˈoʊl, wˌɛn hiː wʌz ˌʌndɚ kˈɑːntɹækt tə mˈɛtɹoʊɡˈoʊldwɪnmˈeɪɚ, lˈɪbɚɾi fˈɪlmz ɐɡɹˈiːd tə pˈeɪ fɔːɹ jˈuːs ʌv ˌɛmdʒˌiːˈɛmz pɹədˈʌkʃən fəsˈɪlᵻɾiz tə mˌeɪk ðə pˈɪktʃɚ, ænd tə pˈeɪ ˌɛmdʒˌiːˈɛmz pˈɛɹənt kˈʌmpəni ɐ pɚsˈɛntɪdʒ dˌɪstɹɪbjˈuːʃən fˈiː.
To obtain Spencer Tracy for the lead role, when he was under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Liberty Films agreed to pay for use of MGM's production facilities to make the picture, and to pay MGM's parent company a percentage distribution fee.