Made in London just before England's entrance into World War II, this film was co-produced by a refugee from Adolf Hitler, the great German producer of Metropolis (1927) and many other classic UFA movies, Erich Pommer. It was directed by an American from Hollywood, Tim Whelan, and features another American, the great harmonica virtuoso, Larry Adler, who was to return to live in exile in England after the war after he was blacklisted in the U.S. Adler went on to compose and perform the score for the classic English comedy Genevieve (1953). The role of the tall busker Gentry was played by Tyrone Guthrie who would be knighted and would one day become Artistic Director of Canada's Stratford Festival and founder of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. This movie was edited by Robert Hamer, who would go on to direct the Ealing Studio comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) and others.
The poem recited by Charles (Charles Laughton) and Libby (Vivien Leigh) is "The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God" by John Milton Hayes, written by 1911.
The premiere of this movie, as "St. Martins Lane'" was broadcast from the Carlton Theatre, Haymarket, with Elsa Lanchester (Mrs. Charles Laughton) as the on-air reporter describing the event.
Michael Wilding, according to Lewis Gilbert's memoirs, was cast in this movie, but was later replaced.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a sixty minute radio adaptation of this movie on February 12, 1940, with Charles Laughton reprising his movie role.