While this film was in production, rumors began circulating that co-stars Greta Garbo and Ramon Novarro were having an affair. This was untrue, but they did develop a strong friendly rapport.
Mata Hari was censored when it was reissued in 1936 to conform to the Hays Code. The available version is 89 minutes whereas the pre-code version was 92 minutes.
Among the censored parts of the film - the erotic dance to Shiva was shortened; a once famous scene of Mata Hari and Rosanoff in bed, lit only by the glowing ends of their cigarettes. The part contained a line of dialogue where her lover comments on her "ridiculously long eyelashes." This comment is brought up later in the film but the context had previously been removed.
Among the censored parts of the film - the erotic dance to Shiva was shortened; a once famous scene of Mata Hari and Rosanoff in bed, lit only by the glowing ends of their cigarettes. The part contained a line of dialogue where her lover comments on her "ridiculously long eyelashes." This comment is brought up later in the film but the context had previously been removed.
Major Thomas Coulson's 1930 book, "Mata Hari: Courtesan and Spy", piqued interest in turning it into a movie, but an MGM executive said that no one book was the basis of their movie. Mata hari translates to "eye of the day" in Indonesian (and Malay), and is the most common word for "sun" in those languages. Censors of many cities required cuts in the movie, which was typical of many pre-code films. When MGM applied to the Hays Office for a certificate in 1936 for re-release, it was refused. However, a certificate was issued in 1939, when the movie was re-released.
This was the third most popular movie at the U.S. box office for 1931.
Ramon Novarro wears internal lifts in his boots so that the difference in height between himself and Greta Garbo was increased on screen.