The film took seven years of complicated pre-production because its producers Melvin Fishman and Richard Herland - a student of Jung and alchemy - wanted the film to be "the first Jungian film" and built up relationships with the Hesse family that allowed the film rights of the book to be released.
Although the film was made in English, none of the principal actors were native English speakers.
Fred Haines' previous screenplay was the film adaptation of Ulysses (1967). Like Steppenwolf, both literary works were considered unfilmable.
The only feature film directed by Fred Haines. His previous work as director was the documentary Muhammad Ali - The Baddest Daddy in the Whole World (1972).
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