The film's production was heavily disrupted by the Second World War. Filming started in July 1939 but was interrupted on 3 September due to France declaring war on Germany, with director Jean Grémillon and lead actor Jean Gabin being mobilized. With a special permission granted, shooting resumed on 6 May 1940 but was interrupted again in June with the German army at the gates of Paris, leading producer Joseph Lucachevitch to flee to the USA while assistant director Louis Daquin and editor Marcel Cravenne took the film reels to the south of France, in Marseille and Pau. Filming resumed for the final time under German occupation in 1941, despite both lead actors Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan having fled to the USA and concluded on 2 September, with some planned scenes having never been shot.
The rights for the novel by Roger Vercel had been acquired by the German film company Universum Film A.G. (better known as 'UFA') in 1935. Raoul Ploquin, head of the French branch of UFA, first asked writer Charles Spaak to write a scenario based on Vercel's novel. Dissatisfied with the result, André Cayatte was asked to take over but the project was quickly shelved. UFA subsequently sold the rights to Joseph Lucachevitch, director of the company 'Societé d'Exploitation et de Distribution de Films' (known as SEDIF), based in France, who invited Jacques Prévert to re-write the scenario and dialogue.
The famous photograph "L'Homme de la Nuit" by René-Jacques (real name René Giton), taken in 1939 during the filming of "Remorques", is of Jean Gabin descending the steps from the Cours Dajot, which overlooks Brest's commercial port.
The main character is called Capitaine Renaud in the novel, but was changed to Capitaine Laurent in the film due to the casting of Madeleine Renaud.
Underwent a 4K digital restoration with the participation of Arte France's Cinema Unit.