Clark Gable was originally intended to be the lead male in the movie, however MGM wanted to punish Gable and Crawford for conducting an affair so Robert Montgomery was chosen to appear in the film.
Adrian, fashion designer for MGM's fabled leading ladies, unveiled the Joan Crawford soon-to-be-signature padded-shoulders look in this picture.
Banned in the UK on the grounds that it "justified homicide without penalty".
On 28 July 1939 the 2nd Court of Appeals awarded one-fifth of the net of "Lettie Lyton" to the plaintiffs (Edward Sheldon and Margaret Ayer Barnes) in their plagiarism action against M-G-M, M-G-M Distributing Company, Lowe's Inc. and Culver Exchange Corporation. It was said to be the first copyright decision ever to direct the apportionment of profits on the relative basis as has prevailed in the instance of patent suits wherein a patent has been appropriated. On November 7, 1939 M-G-M petitioned the United States Supreme Court to overturn the Court of Appeals ruling stating that the questions arising in the suit are predicated solely upon the copyright laws of the U.S., and not the patent laws. The M-G-M lawyers charged 8 errors in the decision.
The ruffled-shoulder organdy dress worn by Letty set off a nationwide fashion craze; according to one book, the dress sold 1 million copies in America.
This film has been unavailable since a Federal court ruled on 17 January 1936 that the script used by MGM too closely followed the play "Dishonored Lady" by Edward Sheldon and Margaret Ayer Barnes without acquiring the rights to this play or giving credit. The U.S. copyright of the play will expire in 2025.
This film is loosely based on the life of Madeleine Smith, whose story was told more fully in David Lean's film Madeleine.