Originally Barbara Stanwyck was cast as Gilda, and was even in the rehearsals. Columbia studio filed an injunction stating that Stanwyck had jumped her contract to work for Warners and still owed Columbia one film. Eventually the court granted Columbia's injunction, Mackaill (who was already in production as Gilda in wardrobe fittings) got the lead, and Stanwyck went back to Columbia to make Forbidden (1932).
In New York, newspaper advertising featured a warning that "Safe in Hell" was "NOT Recommended for Children".
In September 1928, Warner Bros. Pictures purchased a majority interest in First National Pictures and from that point on, all First National productions were actually made under Warner Bros. control, even though the two companies continued to retain separate identities until the mid-1930's, after which time "A Warner Bros.-First National Picture" was often used.
A 1931 publicity shot of Boris Karloff has him listed as playing the role of Bobo in this 'recently completed' film, yet Noble Johnson portrays the character on screen, and this has never been included on the Karloff filmography.
At a time when most African-Americans were stereotyped, both Nina Mae McKinney and Clarence Muse were the two most reputable characters in the movie. Although their parts in the script are written in dialect, both spoke normally.