Loosely based on the career of cosmetics giant Helena Rubenstein, founder of a company bearing her name that made her one of the richest women in the world. After her death, the company was sold to Colgate-Palmolive in 1973 for $142.3M and was subsequently acquired by L'Oreal in 1988, which as of 2022 still maintains the brand.
Probably a coincidence, but the name of Flora's friend, Eve Harrington, was also the name of the title character in Eva al desnudo (1950), portrayed by Anne Baxter.
Lucille Ball receives top billing in this RKO film. In about eighteen years, she would own this studio along with her husband Desi Arnaz.
Final film of Whitney Bourne.
The first film in a sudden switch to drama for Lucille Ball. After appearing in mostly comedies and musicals, including seven comedies that were released in 1938, she was cast as the female lead in four dramas that were released in 1939, each darker than the previous one. This film was followed by the crime drama Twelve Crowded Hours (1939). Then came two jungle dramas, La dama de Panamá (1939) and the survival film Volvieron cinco (1939). She would not have such a streak of dramas again in her career.