Writer Lewis E. Lawes was still warden of Sing Sing prison during filming and allowed the crew to film inside and outside the prison, including mob scenes.
James Cagney was originally set for the male lead but was engaged in a contract dispute with Warner Brothers at the time.
Although the film never received any awards, it received overwhelmingly positive reviews from film critics and audiences alike.
Michael Curtiz's decision to edit in documentary footage with staged shots in this film proved so effective that other producers soon began to emulate the technique.
The cell block scenes were shot at MGM on sets constructed for The Big House (1930).