Lucia Bosé was the director's first choice for the role of Silvana. It wasn't until he met Silvana Mangano by chance that he decided to cast her in the film. De Santis also wanted Mangano to appear in his next picture Under the Olive Tree (1950) but when she got pregnant, she was replaced by Bosé.
The Italian word "riso" has two meanings. One meaning is "rice" and the other being "laughter." The title "Bitter Rice" can just as easily be translated as "Bitter Laughter."