The original working title "Lady of the Night" was changed after the Hayes Office objected. (The title was thought to be obscene.)
Originally, Jean Harlow and Clark Gable were set to star in this film but rejected the project. After rewrites, the project was remounted with Loretta Young and Ricardo Cortez.
While leaving work, one stenographer said she was going to get a "finger wave." Finger waves were a hairstyle developed in the 1920s to add style to, and soften the hard appearance of, the bobbed hairstyles that became very popular during the flapper period. No heated irons were used on the hair, just a shape-retaining lotion made using karaya gum.
The original story treatment written by Anita Loos was titled "Nora: Girl Delinquent" and was based on a series of magazine articles allegedly written by a former gang moll and informant.