At first, Paul Muni wanted Carole Lombard or Lupe Velez as female co-star, but after her success in Human Bondage (1934) he chose Bette Davis.
Paul Muni hired a Mexican man as chauffeur to study his accent and mannerisms in preparation for this role.
In this film the Spanish folk song, La Cucaracha is sung during the fiesta in Johnny's home. There are various versions of this traditional song however the version sung in the film is the one used during the Mexican Revolution. The lyrics contain a subtle reference to the drug marijuana. This film was under the close scrutiny of the Hays Office which was enforcing the Motion Picture Production Code. If this agency had been aware of this, in all probability it would have banned or revised the song.
Director Archie Mayo expected Bette Davis to deliver a histrionic performance, but the actress, whose own sister suffered from a mental disorder, insisted a subtle portrayal of the breakdown was more appropriate and accurate.
The footage of the opening street scene of the border town was later re-used as the opening scene of the Mexican town in Code of the Secret Service (1939). A short section of the same scene was also used during the opening Mexicali sequence in Der Anhalter (1953). Modern sources note that the opening scenes were shot in Los Angeles' Olvera St.