The Sea Chase (1955) was intended as an adventure feature centred on a warship captain and stowaway pursued at sea during the Second World War, but practical difficulties plagued the production from the outset. The cast's relocation to Hawaii coincided with an incomplete screenplay, requiring ongoing script development rather than allowing the team to work from a finished draft. This uncertain foundation contributed to an atmosphere that grew progressively more difficult.

Personality conflicts significantly worsened conditions on set. Lead actress Lana Turner maintained a distant and often contentious relationship with her co-star, director, and much of the supporting cast, with particular friction arising from her concerns about appearance during filming. Wayne himself eventually withdrew emotionally from the project, a condition compounded by physical ailments including ear infections that interrupted shooting. He later acknowledged that these accumulated pressures—script uncertainty, interpersonal discord, and health complications—had rendered him deeply uncommitted to the material by production's conclusion.