The novel "Death in the Deep South" and this movie version were based on the notorious murder trial and subsequent lynching of Leo Frank. The film mentions the suspect's Northern background, which was a factor in his lynching, but does not mention that he was Jewish. The real-life victim, Mary Phagan, was only 13 years old, a far cry from Lana Turner's 16-year-old "sweater girl."
Director Fritz Lang was initially offered the project but passed on it, not wanting to be typecast as "an expert on lynching" (he had previously directed Fury (1936), which also involved a lynch mob).
Lana Turner got the role in February 1937, when she had been in Hollywood for only one month. She was discovered while lunching, and was offered a screen test for a role.
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