Producer David O. Selznick based this on the Libby Holman murder scandal. Jean Harlow felt the story had disturbing similarities to suicide of her second husband, Paul Bern. She believed that she was cast in the picture in a deliberate attempt to capitalize on that event, and refused the role at first. In William Powell's autobiography, he says he convinced her to accept it rather than be suspended.
The film was inspired by the life of torch singer Libby Holman, whose husband, tobacco heir Zachary Smith Reynolds, committed suicide and caused a scandal--she was initially indicted for murder but was eventually cleared.
Joan Crawford was initially cast in the female lead, but producer David O. Selznick replaced her with Jean Harlow a week before shooting began, hoping the well-known romance between male lead William Powell and Harlow would help promote the film.
Jean Harlow's singing and dancing talents were marginal at best, and MGM ended up dubbing most of her singing with the voice of Virginia Verrill, and employing a dancing double for use in long shots. Harlow's own singing voice is heard in the first stanza of the title song, a 43-second segment that was highlighted decades later in That's Entertainment! (1974).
Hans Steinke walked off the set when director Victor Fleming instructed Man Mountain Dean to sit on him. He was replaced by wrestler Ernie Haynes.